Neymar says he is “rediscovering joy” back at his boyhood club Santos. The Brazilian forward, who recently rejoined Santos on a short-term deal after a difficult spell at Al-Hilal, ended a 16-month goal drought with a penalty in their 3-1 win against Agua Santa.
Reflecting on his return, Neymar expressed his happiness at being back in familiar surroundings and his determination to regain his best form.
“I’m happy to be playing again. I feel I’m improving,” Neymar said. “Obviously I’m not going to be 100% physically, it’s only my fourth game but I’m getting better and better. I was anxious to score and wanted to dedicate this to the fans and my family.”
Neymar’s career has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows. He burst onto the scene as a teenager at Santos, scoring 136 goals in 225 appearances before joining Barcelona in 2013. At Barcelona, he won numerous trophies, including the Champions League and two La Liga titles, before making a world-record move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
His time at PSG was also successful, but a falling out with manager Luis Enrique led to a transfer to Al-Hilal in 2023. However, injuries limited his playing time in Saudi Arabia, and he eventually returned to Santos in January 2025.
Neymar’s return to Santos is seen as a homecoming, a chance to rediscover his love for the game and regain his best form. He has expressed his gratitude to the club for helping him rediscover his joy and is excited about the future.
“We’re helping each other, Santos are helping me, they’ve opened doors for me to rediscover soccer, to rediscover joy,” Neymar said. “I didn’t want to sign a long contract because I didn’t know how I was going to come back. I didn’t know how I was going to feel during these months. Let’s enjoy these moments, it’s the start of a great era for Santos.”
Neymar’s return has generated excitement among Santos fans, who are hoping that he can lead the club to success in the coming months. His experience, talent, and passion for the game will be invaluable as Santos look to challenge for trophies and return to the top of Brazilian football.
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