Santos, Brazil – Neymar described the feeling of playing for Santos again after 12 years as “indescribable.” The Brazilian striker returned to his boyhood club on January 31st from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.
Neymar, who left Santos to join Barcelona in 2013, came on as a substitute in the second half of their match against Botafogo. Despite still recovering from injury, he impressed in his return, helping his team fight back to earn a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Vila Belmiro.
“I love Santos,” Neymar said. “I have no words to describe what I felt tonight when I stepped again on this pitch. I need minutes, games. I’m not at 100%. I didn’t expect to run and dribble so much tonight. I think I’ll feel better in four or five games.”
Neymar won six trophies during his first stint with Santos, including the 2011 Copa Libertadores. He left the club having scored 136 goals in 225 appearances at the age of 21.
He subsequently became the most expensive player in history when he joined Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in a £200m deal in 2017. However, his time in Saudi Arabia was cut short by a serious injury, limiting him to just seven appearances for Al-Hilal.
Santos, the former club of Brazilian legend Pelé, were relegated from the top division for the first time in their 111-year history in 2023. They earned promotion back to the top flight last season by winning Serie B.
