Vintage Neymar: Santos captain hits major personal milestone not seen since 2023 and his Al-Hilal days

Santos star Neymar has made headlines again, not just for his two-goal performance in a 3-1 win over Juventude, but also for completing an elusive and symbolic milestone, one he had not achieved since his days with Al-Hilal and his turbulent run of injuries dating back to 2023. The veteran Brazilian is quietly rewriting his story, showing signs that his return to Santos may yet yield redemption.

Neymar was the difference-maker on Monday night as the Peixe broke a three-match winless streak in the Brazilian Serie A with a 3-1 win over Juventude. It was a performance reminiscent of his prime: one goal from open play and another from the penalty spot. “It’s a good feeling to play well and win again,” he said post-match. “We have to keep improving and make sure we learn from our mistakes. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”

The 33-year-old struck first in the 37th minute, reacting quickly to a rebound from Gabriel Veron’s long-range effort. Just three minutes later, Alvaro Barreal doubled the lead with a composed volley. Juventude threatened to rally before halftime through Wilker Angel, who nodded in a powerful header, but Neymar killed the game with a late penalty in the 80th minute, awarded after Luca Meirelles was brought down in the box.

Long-awaited personal milestone

Beyond the goals and three points, Neymar achieved something far more telling — he completed four full matches in a single calendar month, something he hadn’t managed since September 2023.

The forward has endured a turbulent stretch of his career marked by injuries, suspensions, and inconsistent playing time. His serious knee injury during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023 sidelined him for almost a year, and since then, finding rhythm has been a painstaking process.

But in July 2025, Neymar turned back the clock. He played every minute of four matches — a rare stretch of fitness and form.

Neymar’s July 2025 performances

Although he also completed the full 90 minutes in the win over Juventude on August 1, that match fell outside the record-setting July stretch. Still, it marked a fifth straight full match — a rare and encouraging sign in Neymar’s recent history.

From fragility to fight: Physical and mental turnaround

This feat might appear modest for a global superstar, but for Neymar, it symbolizes a turning point. From January 2024 to June 2025, he completed just three full matches across all competitions — a stunning statistic for a player once expected to dominate every field he stepped on.

His spell at Al-Hilal in 2023 and 2024 was short-lived and troubled by injury. He played only a handful of minutes in the AFC Champions League and failed to complete a single full match in all of 2024.

Now back at Santos, the club that raised him, Neymar appears more determined than ever to contribute meaningfully — even if it means grinding his way back to top form through consistency rather than showmanship.

Neymar’s Full Matches by Month (2023-2025)