In a heroic display that defied both his age and a significant injury, Neymar delivered a masterclass on Wednesday night, scoring a second-half hat-trick to propel his boyhood club Santos towards safety in Brazil's Serie A.
A Defiant Performance Against the Odds
The Brazilian icon, who re-joined Santos on a six-month deal in January 2025 before extending until December, has endured a difficult homecoming, battling fitness issues while the club flirted with relegation. The situation appeared to worsen last week when he missed a match against Internacional due to knee discomfort, with reports from Globo Esporte suggesting a meniscus injury in his left knee that could have ended his season.
However, Neymar returned at the weekend to help secure a 3-0 win over Sport Recife, before producing a truly iconic performance away at Juventude. Playing through the pain, the 33-year-old striker netted three times in just 17 minutes during the second half. He opened the scoring on a swift counter-attack, added a second from an Igor Vinicius cross nine minutes later, and completed his first hat-trick since April 2022 with a calmly taken penalty.
Significance for Santos and World Cup Dreams
The vital 3-0 victory lifted Santos to 14th in the table, leaving them two points clear of the relegation zone headed into a final-day showdown with third-placed Cruzeiro. This dramatic intervention has reignited the club's survival hopes and sparked fresh debate about Neymar's international future.
Having not played for the Brazilian national team in over two years—a period blighted by an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered on duty in October 2023—Neymar has openly targeted a place in Carlo Ancelotti's squad for next summer's World Cup. The Italy manager has left the door ajar, but set clear conditions.
"Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup," Ancelotti stated last month. "He has six months to make the final list... He needs to show performance." Ancelotti emphasised that modern football demands more than just talent, requiring intensity and physical condition. He also suggested Neymar's best role is now more central, where defensive duties are less demanding than on the wing.
An Uphill Battle for Club and Country
Neymar's fairytale return to the club where he scored 136 goals in 225 games between 2009 and 2013 has been fraught with challenges. Yet, his recent exploits prove his enduring quality when it matters most. As Santos faces a nerve-shredding final weekend, and with the World Cup on the horizon, Neymar has emphatically reminded the football world of his unique talent and resilience.
