Brazil document scorer Neymar mentioned he needs to “play 90 minutes in each sport” after ending a wait of just about 13 years for a aim in his homeland’s Serie A with a scientific late winner for Santos towards leaders Flamengo.
In his first 90-minute look for 5 months, striker Neymar turned sharply contained in the field and fired in beneath strain to web within the Brazilian high flight for the primary time since December 2012 with the one aim of the sport within the 84th minute at Santos’s Estadio do Vila Belmiro dwelling.
“I need to get in higher bodily form,” mentioned the 33-year-old (by way of Marca), who hopes to spearhead the Selecao on the 2026 Fifa World Cup however has been hampered by three hamstring accidents and health points since getting back from nearly a yr out for knee surgical procedure.
“That takes time, each in video games and in coaching. My physique continues to be adapting, re-acquainting itself with every thing. It’s not simple coping with the harm I suffered. I’m not 100%, however I’m enhancing.”
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Neymar desencanta no Brasileirão! Gabriel Bontempo abre na esquerda para Guilherme, que encontra Neymar na área. O camisa 10 se livra de Léo Pereira, de Varela e bate cruzado para vencer Rossi!#neymar #santos #flamengo #brasileirão #campeonatobrasileiro… pic.twitter.com/goVZ7ajL35— ge (@geglobo) July 17, 2025
Santos vs Flamengo: Neymar aim
Santos moved two factors away from the relegation zone with their fourth win in 13 league matches this season, enjoying a counter-attacking type and contending with 25% of possession to sentence Flamengo to their second league defeat of 2025.
Neymar, who took an enormous pay minimize to rejoin his boyhood membership after barely that includes throughout nearly 18 months at Saudi giants Al-Hilal, shared a playful second with Filipe Luis when the ball went out of play close to Flamengo’s supervisor, trying to nutmeg the previous Brazil, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea defender earlier than grinning and sharing a hug with the 39-year-old.
“He’s a unprecedented participant and an awesome good friend and former teammate with the nationwide group,” mentioned Filipe Luis, who received the 2019 Copa America with Brazil beneath Tite, the supervisor he changed at Flamengo in September 2024.
“I’ve a really shut and excellent friendship with him. It’s a privilege for Brazilian soccer that he’s enjoying right here once more. It’s a disgrace that he managed to determine the sport for Santos.”
Neymar had made 4 earlier appearances on this season’s Serie A, beginning twice and lacking seven video games via harm.
His earlier aim within the division was a part of a double at dwelling to Palmeiras, having additionally scored within the 87th minute of a 2-0 win towards guests Flamengo in September 2012.
The longer term Ballon d’Or nominee made an emotional ultimate look of his first spell on the membership towards Flamengo in Might 2013 earlier than becoming a member of Barcelona for a £200 million charge that is still the worldwide switch document.
Neymar tried to nutmeg Filipe Luis 🤣🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/udA2gHsCzY
— Brasil Soccer 🇧🇷 (@BrasilEdition) July 16, 2025
Neymar accidents ‘require care’, says Santos boss
Santos supervisor Cleber Xavier mentioned Neymar is “essential” for his group. “At the moment, I noticed Neymar bodily at Serie A degree,” noticed the previous Flamengo and Brazil assistant.
“We noticed him in duels, in repositioning, even defending and pressuring our defenders – one thing he hadn’t been doing earlier than [Neymar’s last appearance on June 1].
“It’s regular after such a protracted lay-off. I consider an harm as severe and extreme because the one he sustained will at all times require look after his muscular tissues and knee. However he’s a participant who, when he’s wholesome, at all times makes a distinction.”
Flamengo’s Leo Pereira rued Neymar’s aim. “We knew they might play for one ball, and so they had that ball proper there on the finish of the sport,” mentioned the centre-back.
“It was a defensive oversight, and that’s unacceptable for anybody who needs to be Brazilian champions. It’s Neymar. You at all times must have a special [way of] marking him.
“However we performed our sport with out pondering a lot about Neymar. We knew he may outline the sport with any play. It was our oversight.
“A man as completely different as him shouldn’t have that a lot freedom… we have been very uncovered and open [on the telling counter-attack]. Sadly, he was fortunate and deserved to attain.”
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Neymar ‘at all times takes out markers’ – Filipe Luis
Flamengo, who beat champions Chelsea on their option to the final 16 of the 2025 Membership World Cup, host Fluminense in a derby on Sunday (23:30 BST).
Third final season, they’re at the moment degree on factors on the summit with Cruzeiro and Bragantino however have a substantial aim superiority.
“He’s a decisive participant who will get the ball and at all times does one thing,” Filipe Luis mentioned of Neymar. “[He can produce] a harmful, efficient [piece of] play that leaves his teammate in entrance of aim.
“We clearly attempt to be particularly cautious with the sort of participant. First, we don’t give him time to obtain the ball and at all times have folks on him.
“However he at all times takes out the marker who comes shut, has excellent imaginative and prescient of the sport and at all times finally ends up placing his teammate .
“Actually, Santos created extra possibilities via our lack of possession, transitions and counter-attacks. At instances after we have been comfy, we tried to hurry up the play and compelled a move and made errors within the center.
“That’s how we suffered. I attempted to appropriate that at half-time… however sadly, it was our mistake that led to the aim.”
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Neymar stats: Santos, Brazil
Neymar’s aim was the 443rd of his membership and worldwide profession in 732 video games, in accordance with Brasil Soccer, which mentioned that it was his 700th direct aim involvement, together with 257 assists.
The 2021 Copa America Greatest Participant has 128 caps and broke Pele’s document by scoring the 78th of his 79 worldwide targets throughout Brazil’s World Cup qualifier towards Bolivia in September 2023, however ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament towards Uruguay the next month.
After lacking two video games on the 2022 World Cup with an ankle harm, Neymar produced two targets and one assists however was a part of a group knocked out by Croatia within the quarter-finals.
The consequence ensured he has by no means performed past the final eight of the event, having been ever-present and contributed two targets and two assists earlier than Brazil have been knocked out at that stage by Belgium in 2018.
At his first World Cup in 2014, Neymar completed on 4 targets and one help in 5 video games however missed Brazil’s 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany and 3-0 third-placed match loss to the Netherlands via harm.
Neymar wage, wages, contract
Neymar reportedly signed an preliminary six-month contract with Santos, which he has since prolonged till the top of the Brazilian season in December.
The Champions League winner is claimed to have been value £125m a yr with Al-Hilal, who he joined from Paris Saint-Germain for round £77.6m plus add-ons in August 2023.
