Neymar returns to Santos with questions hanging over his future

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Neymar returns to his home club Santos Friday with only a few months left in his contract and questions over his future after indicating he would no longer play for Brazil following the country’s World Cup disappointment.

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The injury-plagued Neymar was included in the World Cup squad almost three years after he last appeared for Brazil, and played only 37 minutes across two matches.

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His only goal — a penalty — was not enough to prevent an early exit for Brazil after a 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16.

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An AI-generated video created by a fan circulated on social media, showed a young Neymar asking the current Neymar to chase a sixth World Cup title with Brazil in 2030.

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Brazil’s all-time leading scorer added a comment: three laughing/crying emojis.

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The striker returned in January 2025 to his boyhood club Santos from Saudi club Al-Hilal, and his contract runs out in December.

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After undergoing left-knee surgery late last year, Neymar played in only eight of the 19 matches Santos contested in the 2026 Brasileirao — the country’s top football league.

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Nevertheless, he tallied four goals and two assists, offering glimpses of the footballer who dazzled fans at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

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A source at Santos told AFP that the renewal of Neymar’s contract will largely depend on board elections in December.

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Santos president Marcelo Teixeira, who spearheaded Neymar’s return, has not said whether he will seek re-election.

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“The first question was whether Neymar would stop playing,” a club official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

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“It ends here,” Neymar said after Brazil’s loss to Norway, which saw him collapse in tears after the final whistle.

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Amid press speculation about a permanent retirement, his father and agent Neymar Santos Sr urged him not to give up.

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“Son, keep playing football. Feel the joy of having the ball at your feet again; smile on the pitch again,” he wrote in a letter released via an Instagram video.

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“Don’t be afraid of tomorrow.”

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Media reports have indicated that Neymar is considering continuing his career with US Major League Soccer (MLS), and that negotiations had taken place with FC Cincinnati, but fell through.

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The MLS is home to veteran stars such as Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Frenchman Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City), and German Thomas Mueller (Vancouver Whitecaps).

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AFP

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