Emotional Neymar left with ‘no words’ after playing first Santos game for 12 years
Neymar made 225 appearances and scored 136 goals during his first spell at Santos
Neymar was left lost for words after featuring in his first Santos game for 12 years.
The 33-year-old Brazilian completed a return to his boyhood club on January 31 after terminating his contract with Al-Hilal, 12 years after leaving for Barcelona in 2013.
Coming on at half-time with Santos 1-0 up, Neymar impressed during the second half before Botafogo fought back to earn a draw at the Urbano Caldeira Stadium.
“I love Santos,” said Neymar.
“I have no words to describe what I felt tonight when I stepped again on this pitch.
“I need minutes, games. I’m not at 100%. I didn’t expect to run and dribble so much tonight. I think I’ll feel better in four or five games.”
Neymar is 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 👑 pic.twitter.com/AndLNRlvYS
— B/R Football (@brfootball) February 6, 2025
Neymar was swarmed after the game by a number of Botafogo players asking for a photo with the former Brazil captain.
The skilfull forward won six trophies during his first spell with Santos, making 225 appearances and scoring 136 goals.
He won a further seven major trophies with Barcelona, including the Treble in 2014-15, before he became the world’s most expensive player when moving to Paris Saint-Germain for £200million in 2017.
Neymar, who is Brazil’s record goalscorer with 79 goals, spent six years in the French capital before a disappointing spell with Al-Hilal, where injuries restricted him to just seven appearances.
Santos, the same club Pele started out, were relegated from the Brazil’s top flight for the first time in their 111-year history in 2023 but earned promotion at the first time of asking last season.