Neymar’s 100th match at Santos’ Vila Belmiro home did not go to plan after he sustained a left thigh injury and had to be withdrawn in the first half of their 2-0 win over Atletico Mineiro.
The 33-year-old was visibly upset after suffering the problem and when leaving the pitch on a cart. He appeared to feel a muscle in his leg before going down and receiving treatment from Santos’ medical team, and was later cheered off the field by the home crowd.
“It’s still too early to give any definitive answer, we don’t have a diagnosis yet,” Santos coach Cesar Sampaio said, via Reuters. “It’s a major loss in a match where everything we had planned was unfolding as expected.
“And that’s it, now we really have to pray that it’s not something that will keep him out for a long time.”
Neymar was wearing a special No 100 shirt — his usual number is 10 — for his 100th home appearance for Santos, who he rejoined in January ahead of the 2025 season.
The Brazil international had left Al Hilal in January after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with the Saudi Pro League side. Injury problems plagued his time in the gulf state — he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in his left knee while on Brazil duty in October 2023, shortly after completing his £80million ($102m) move from Paris Saint-Germain, before then missing six weeks with a hamstring injury in only his second game back a year later.
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Neymar signed a short-term deal with Santos a few days after his Al Hilal exit was announced and he has already played more games for his boyhood club in Brazil (nine) than for the Saudi Arabian team (seven).
Santos’ 2-0 win over Atletico Mineiro was their second Brazilian Serie A game of 2025 and Neymar’s first start in the competition since his return. He previously came on off the bench in their opening national league fixture, having made six starts and one substitute appearance in the state league. Santos return to action on Sunday with a game against Sao Paulo.
Neymar has not played for Brazil since suffering that ACL injury. He was included in Brazil’s squad for the March World Cup qualifiers but withdrew due to injury.
(Top photo: Buda Mendes/Getty Images)