“A very special day”: Neymar has already replayed with Santos (and almost scored a wonderful goal)

It was on a Wednesday, February 5, hot and humid, day of his 33rd birthday, that Neymar returned to play for the club where it all started. Bearing for the first time the number “10” immortalized by Pelé, the Brazilian star made his comeback at the Santos … with a draw.

Stade Vila Belmiro, nestled in a residential area of ​​the port city of Santos, near Sao Paulo, gave a warm welcome to the prodigal son as soon as he entered the lawn for warm -up: the supporters have chanted his name and have him Sung a “happy birthday”, almost 12 years after his departure.

The result of the match (1-1) was almost anecdotal, because the 15,377 spectators who almost filled the little but emblematic sports pregnant came to celebrate the attacker’s reunion with his country.

“As bad as the result, today was a very special day. Thank you all for your affection and for encouraging us to the end, reacted the idol on social networks. Today more than ever, we need all the support of our fans … because with you we are stronger! »»

Neymar signed a six -month contract on Friday with his training club, in which he returned after a disappointing passage to Saudi Arabia. Tiquinho Soares striker opened the scoring for Santos on penalty (38th), but Alexandre de Jesus equalized the head (67th) and provoked the local team by celebrating with the commemorative gesture of the star of the evening, who Could have scored an incredible goal a few minutes before on a lonely raid.

“Ney” came into play at the start of the second half (46th) to replace the young Gabriel Bontempo. Midfielder Diego Pituca, another local icon, gave him the captain’s armband and the supporters were able to cheer the entrance to their idol, who had no longer worn the jersey of the “Peixe”, where Pelé played Most of his career (1956-1974), since May 26, 2013.

A few days later, the darling of supporters crossed the Atlantic to put on the FC Barcelona jersey. In 2017, he left for PSG where he played six years before joining the Saudi club Al-Hilal in August 2023 for some 100 million euros per season.

But his breakdown of the cross ligament of the left knee, during a match with Brazil two months after his arrival in Ryad, held him dismissed for a year. Returning to the field in October 2024, new physical seeds only allowed him to play a little more than forty minutes in two matches.

Al-Hilal had announced at the end of January that he had terminated the Neymar contract, paving the way on his return to the Brazilian championship.