Neymar will undergo knee surgery after playing through the pain to help his boyhood club Santos avoid relegation with a 3-0 win over Cruzeiro on Sunday.
The 33-year-old returned to his childhood club in January after a stint with Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal, when he only made seven appearances in 18 months.
But he had a crucial impact on Santos’ fight for survival in the Brazilian top flight, scoring five goals in the last four matches.
He played all 90 minutes against Cruzeiro as the club avoided an immediate drop back down to the second tier after being promoted last season.
“I came for this, to try to help the best way I can. These have been tough weeks for me,” Neymar, who played in 20 of their 38 league games, told reporters.
“I thank those who were with me to lift me up. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have played these matches because of these injuries, this knee problem. I need to rest and then we will have this knee surgery.”
He did not provide details on the surgery or a timeline on his expected recovery, but this latest setback raises more doubts about his chances of playing at next summer’s World Cup.
Neymar has not featured for Brazil in two years due to a succession of injuries, last featuring in a defeat to Uruguay in October 2023. He has scored 79 goals in 128 international appearances.
This October national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti said he must regain full fitness if he is to earn a recall to the squad. The World Cup will run from 11 June to 19 July in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
Reuters
