The return of Neymar to Santos has carried drama, pressure, nostalgia, and now — another historic milestone. As the club battles for survival in the Brazilian Serie A, the veteran forward continues to shape a narrative that blends past glory with present urgency. His name has long been etched into the soul of the club, and once again, Santos is the stage where his artistry speaks loudest. But with this latest achievement, a new question emerges: how does this milestone reshape his legacy within the club’s storied history?
Santos traveled to face Juventude in the 37th round of the Brasileirao, a match loaded with tension, fear, and the weight of a season hanging in the balance. It was Neymar who broke the anxiety. Under pressure and playing with a lingering left-knee meniscus injury, he delivered a breathtaking hat-trick as his side won 3-0, securing their most important victory of the season.
His three goals — arriving within a devastating 17-minute spell — were more than statistics. They were a reminder of what he still represents. The 33-year-old forward struck first in the 54th minute, finished a slick counterattack six minutes later, and completed the hat-trick from the penalty spot on 68 minutes.
It was, incredibly, his first three-goal performance since April 2022, when he last scored a hat-trick for PSG. In the background, the numbers were shifting too. With this night of brilliance, he reached the incredible milestone of 150 goals for the Peixe — a feat achieved across his first spell from 2009 to 2013 and his return in 2025.
How Neymar reached 150 goals for Santos
Between 2009 and 2013, Neymar transformed Santos from a struggling side into one of the most electric attacking teams in world soccer. He played 225 matches in his first spell, scoring 136 goals and providing 66 assists — a level of productivity unmatched by any Black-and-White player of the 21st century.
His second spell has been shorter, more dramatic, but deeply emotional. Injuries have slowed him, and to make matters worse, the club has battled relegation. Yet his recent surge — five goals and one assist in four matches — has fueled a late-season revival. That hat-trick against Juventude didn’t just rescue a result; it resurrected belief. Santos, previously submerged in the relegation zone, climbed to 14th place with 44 points and now faces Cruzeiro with survival in its own hands.
Neymar at Santos in 2012
Where Neymar ranks among Santos legends
Only in the middle of all the celebration did Santos confirm the historical weight of the moment: Neymar now sits eighth on the club’s all-time scoring list. This places him among some of the greatest names in Brazilian soccer history. Above him sit icons such as Pele, Pepe, Coutinho, and Toninho Guerreiro — players whose scoring records were built across longer eras and drastically different soccer landscapes.
But amid the giants of the 1930s through the 1970s, Neymar stands out as the only modern-era player to break into the top ten. His 150 goals come from significantly fewer seasons than most names above him, making his efficiency especially remarkable.
| Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pele | 1,091 |
| 2. | Pepe | 403 |
| 3. | Coutinho | 370 |
| 4. | Toninho Guerreiro | 283 |
| 5. | Feitico | 253 |
| 6. | Dorval | 194 |
| 7. | Joao Paulo | 174 |
| 8. | Neymar | 150 |
| 9. | Edu | 105 |
| 10. | Kleber Pereira | 97 |
