Neymar was always going to dominate the headlines the moment he stepped onto the pitch at Vila Belmiro, but on this decisive night for Santos, the script twisted in ways that raised as many questions as it answered. His team needed a hero as it fights to escape the bottom of the Brazilian Championship table, and their No. 10 obliged early on. Yet the story — a goal, a celebration, and something unspoken — carried a mystery that lingered long after the final whistle. So, what happened to Neymar, and is he injured?
Santos, locked in a tense relegation battle, could not afford hesitation. And from the fourth minute, Neymar pushed the team forward with the urgency of a player rediscovering his spark. As multiple outlets reported, the move began with Mirassol winning consecutive corners, only for Lautaro Diaz to launch a brilliant counter. Neymar, timing his run by stepping briefly into his own half, broke free.
He had not scored for 107 days, but there was no sign of doubt. He surged through, watched a defender slip, and finished calmly past goalkeeper Walter to make it 1-0 — his fourth goal of the Brazilian Serie A season, his first since August, and his seventh goal in 25 games since returning from Al-Hilal in January.
The reaction was immediate. Once the ball hit the net, the 33-year-old veteran treated Vila Belmiro to a sequence of joyful dance steps. Later, he explained why the celebration mattered so much. “The dance was for my daughter, Mavie,” he said after the game.
Santos, energized by the early lead, pushed again before halftime. Neymar had another chance after a slick move from Igor Vinícius, but this time the shot lacked precision. Mirassol, meanwhile, refused to fold.
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The turning point — and the hidden twist
Neymar, after opening the scoring, began signaling discomfort in the left knee — a detail confirmed later by Mundo Deportivo. The forward remained on the pitch, sometimes limping, sometimes stretching, yet refusing to leave.
Before the issue escalated, he was again at the center of the match’s defining moment. Early in the second half, with Mirassol pressing, Neymar committed a foul in the box that VAR quickly reviewed. The decision stood. Reinaldo stepped up and converted for 1-1, his 12th goal of the season.
Neymar Junior of Santos reacts
Thus, Neymar both scored and finished the match, struggling with physical discomfort, specifically in the left knee — but he did not leave the game, continuing until the final whistle. However, he wasn’t subbed off, but he was visibly hurt.
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