On his highly anticipated return to his first club Santos, the Brazilian star faced Botafogo.
Brazilian forward Neymar made his long-awaited return to his childhood club Santos in a 1-1 draw with Botafogo at the Brazilian Paulista Championship.
Urbano Caldeira Stadium received the hero’s welcome before Wednesday’s kickoff by the striker who left the club 12 years ago, ecstatic and tears fans lit up their phones.
Neymar, who was celebrating his 33rd birthday, started on the bench and came after the break as Santos took the lead through a penalty in the first half of Tiquinho Soares.
However, the forward struggled under pressure in 16 months of his first game.
He tried to remind him of some of the magic that put him among the best in the world for five years in Barcelona, but that wasn’t enough.
Botafogo was equal in the 67th minute through Alexandre de Jesus. Warrison was sent four minutes later for a foul on Neymar, but Santos couldn’t take advantage of their excellent numbers.
“When you love something, I can’t find words to express my senses. I love Santos and find words to describe the feelings I felt when I came out on the pitch today. I can’t,” Neymar said after the match.
“It was a very difficult game. I commented that my dad was on the side. I said, “It’s a difficult game and they’re marking a lot in the back, they’re a team that defends a lot. , it’s dealing a lot of blows.” And they found the ball and scored. The player added.
Neymar, who joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in 2022, was limited to seven appearances after toreating the anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee in the World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October.
His return to Santos is a deal that the forward said would bring a full circle of his illustrious career.
Neymar won six trophies in his first stint with Santos from 2009 to 2013, including Coparibatadores in 2011.
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