Neymar has officially wrapped up his final World Cup campaign with Brazil, though he has yet to take the pitch for Santos since their heartbreaking Round of 16 elimination against Norway. However, as the club kicks off the second half of its 2026 season, the 34-year-old superstar is slated to return to action this weekend, just days after being spotted competing in a high-stakes poker tournament in Sao Paulo.
Brazil suffered an early exit from North America following a 2-1 loss to Erling Haaland and Norway. Neymar managed to pull one back from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, but it proved too little, too late, marking the end of his illustrious international career, as he emotionally confirmed following the match.
Granted extra time off following the elimination, Neymar spent a few days vacationing in the United States with his family while Santos resumed match play. The team captain sat out the club’s Serie A fixture against Botafogo on July 16, as well as Tuesday’s Copa Sudamericana trip to Venezuela, where Santos pulled off an impressive 4-1 victory over Universidad Central.
While his teammates navigated the demanding road trip to Venezuela, Neymar was back in Brazil participating in the BSOP Winter tournament, the fourth leg of the 2026 Brazilian Poker Championship. The event, hosted at the WTC Sheraton’s Golden Hall in Sao Paulo, saw the forward enter the high-stakes R$ 25,000 ($4,933) buy-in category.
Neymar had already rejoined squad training at the Rei Pele training facility last Friday, though the coaching staff opted against traveling him for the Sudamericana match. He trained normally again on Tuesday morning before heading to the poker tables that evening, a tournament where he previously placed 29th out of 346 entries during the 2025 edition.
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Neymar set for weekend return
Under contract with Santos through December 2026, the plan remains for Neymar to see out his current deal with O Peixe before evaluating his next career steps. With his post-World Cup break now complete, the forward is primed to make his official return in Santos’ next domestic fixture.
Santos head coach Cuca brushed off any controversy surrounding Neymar’s absence from Tuesday’s continental match during his pre-game press conference: “Since he was sidelined because he didn’t have a vacation, it was decided to keep him here building up even more strength, training hard, so he can have a run of consecutive matches. Over the next ten days, we’re going to play four times. What advantage was there in bringing him here? You came, you saw how tough the trip is, how hard it is to arrive here in ideal condition. He’s back there working, and he trained well.
Santos will host Chapecoense at Vila Belmiro on Saturday, July 25, with Cuca explicitly confirming that “Neymar is locked in for Saturday.” Fully healthy and refreshed, the legendary forward is ready to lead the charge for the club’s domestic push.
