Seventy days later, Neymar finally felt like a soccer player again.
The Brazilian superstar returned to action in Santos’ 6-0 rout of Velo Clube, setting up a goal for Gabriel Menino and showing flashes of his trademark creativity. But what began as a feel-good comeback nearly turned into another nightmare when he was hit with a dangerous challenge that briefly stunned the stadium.
In the end, it was only a scare. Neymar walked off under his own power, his focus still fixed on one thing: making Brazil’s 2026 World Cup roster.
A comeback that almost went wrong
Neymar entered in the second half with Santos already cruising, up 3-0 after the break. It was the ideal scenario for a player returning from injury, low pressure, plenty of space, and a chance to rebuild match fitness.
About 10 minutes after coming on, Rafael Ramos lunged in with his studs up, sending Neymar tumbling to the turf and silencing Vila Belmiro. For a moment, the worst seemed possible. Given Neymar’s recent injury history, fans held their breath.
He eventually got back to his feet. After testing himself for a few minutes, he stayed in the game and finished the match without further incident.
Neymar missed a chance in the 72nd minute but later delivered the assist on Santos’ fourth goal, threading the ball to Gabriel Menino. Still short of full sharpness, he looked understandably rusty at times and labored during recovery runs, but the most important takeaway was simple: he played, and he finished.
Mission: Convince Ancelotti
On March 16, Carlo Ancelotti will announce Brazil’s squad for its upcoming matches against France and Croatia ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Neymar is determined to be included. It will be the second-to-last call-up before the final World Cup roster is set, and a major opportunity to convince the Italian coach he can still be part of Brazil’s plans.
Neymar has not featured in any of Ancelotti’s previous squads. Whether due to injury or a lack of match fitness, the former Paris Saint-Germain star has not worn Brazil’s jersey since that fateful night against Uruguay in October 2023.
That was when he suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his left knee, an injury that marked the beginning of a long and painful stretch on the sidelines.