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.
