Following a complicated injury at Al Hilal, Neymar Jr. decided to return to Santos FC, seeking to regain his best form. Instead of a dream comeback, he has struggled again with injuries that have prevented him from showing his best. His team is even battling to avoid relegation to Serie B, and he has been diagnosed with a serious injury. However, the veteran has reportedly made a surprising decision ahead of the upcoming games.
Neymar Jr. supposedly requires arthroscopic surgery at the end of the current season to address a meniscus injury in his left knee. Despite this, ESPN reports that the veteran trained with Santos FC on Wednesday, November 26, against medical advice. Moreover, the Brazilian star even chose to be part of Friday’s squad to face Sport Recife, defying recommendations to skip the game to focus on a conservative treatment to compete in the latest two games.
Amid these reports, Santos FC president Marcelo Texeira broke the silence on the potential presence of Neymar for the next game. “It’s about expectation and hope. I’m not a doctor, nor do I follow the decisions, which should be exclusive to the health department. As I said, he trained, trained well, didn’t feel anything… There’s a possibility, that’s the expectation, without any kind of sacrifice, nothing that would harm the player or Santos,” he said, as reported by ESPN.
While Neymar continues to chase the 2026 World Cup, his tenure at Santos FC has fallen short of expectations. After playing 25 games, the veteran star has scored only seven goals and contributed just three assists in all competitions with the Brazilian side. Injury concerns have persistently plagued him throughout 2025, causing him to miss 25 games. To silence his critics, he aims to play a key role in securing his team’s permanence in Série A.
Neymar Junior of Santos.
Neymar Jr. faces a tough path towards 2026 World Cup with Brazil
Neymar Jr. stands out as Brazil‘s most prominent player in recent years. While he hasn’t clinched a World Cup victory, he has ascended to the national team’s all-time leading scorer, surpassing Pelé with an impressive 79 goals in 128 matches. Despite his prolific record, he has been absent from the national team since 2023 due to injury concerns. Now, the veteran faces intense competition to secure a spot on Carlo Ancelotti’s roster for the 2026 World Cup.
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Far from being the winger and speedster he once was, injuries have turned Neymar Jr. into an attacking midfielder. However, Brazil’s coach has decided to go with Raphinha, Rodrygo Goes, and Lucas Paqueta in that position, as all of them are in peak physical condition and play in top European leagues. Carlo Ancelotti has even decided to send a warning to the veteran by giving him a set amount of time to prove his talent.
