On February 5, on his 33rd birthday, Neymar returned to play for the Santos club, where he is a true legend. The Vila Belmiro stadium welcomed him with euphoria during the 1-1 draw between Santos and Botafogo-SP in the Paulista Championship. The fans dedicated birthday chants, ovations, and even displayed a flag with his face and that of the late Brazilian star.
The Brazilian star came on in the second half in place of Gabriel Bontempo. However, just seconds after entering the field, he received a painful ball hit in the lower area from a clear-out by a rival defender. Despite this incident, Neymar, who donned the number 10 jersey of Santos, iconic for Pelé, showed glimpses of his quality throughout the match.
In the 61st minute, Neymar left two opponents behind with a dribble and shot with his left foot, testing the rival goalkeeper. However, shortly after, the player stumbled and fell to the ground, evidencing the blow received in a scene that quickly went viral.
Although Neymar's return was marked by this incident and certain doubts regarding his physical condition, the player demonstrated flashes of his talent despite being limited by various injuries during his time at Al-Hilal. Santos, which returned to Serie A after their relegation in 2023, failed to take advantage of their numerical superiority after Wallison's expulsion in the 71st minute and left some questions about their performance in this match.
