In a stunning display of resilience, Brazilian superstar Neymar delivered a match-winning hat-trick for Santos while carrying a knee injury, handing his childhood club a vital lifeline in their desperate fight to avoid relegation.
A Sensational Return to Form
The 33-year-old forward, who rejoined Santos on a six-month deal in January 2025 that was later extended until December, had been struggling for fitness. His return to the Vila Belmiro has been far from straightforward, with the club mired in a relegation scrap for the entire season. The situation looked bleak last week when Neymar missed a 1-1 draw with Internacional due to knee discomfort, with Brazilian media outlet Globo Esporte reporting he had suffered a meniscus injury in his left knee and would miss the rest of the year.
Defying those reports, Neymar returned at the weekend, contributing a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win over Sport Recife. He then produced his masterstroke on Wednesday against Juventude. Neymar opened the scoring by finishing a swift counter-attack, added a second just nine minutes later from an Igor Vinicius cross, and completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 62nd minute. This was his first hat-trick since April 2022, when he scored three for Paris Saint-Germain against Clermont.
Boosting Santos's Survival Hopes
The three goals were priceless for Santos. The victory propelled them to 14th place in the Brazilian Serie A table. More crucially, it gave them a two-point cushion over Vitória, who occupy 17th place—the first of the four relegation spots—heading into the final weekend of the season. Santos's fate will be decided when they face third-placed Cruzeiro.
Neymar's legendary first spell at Santos saw him score 136 goals in 225 appearances between 2009 and 2013 before his move to Barcelona. His emotional homecoming has now been marked by a potentially season-saving intervention, achieved despite significant physical adversity.
World Cup Dreams Remain Alive
Neymar's return to form in Brazil has inevitably reignited conversation about his international future. The winger has not played for the Seleção for over two years, a period that included a 16-month spell at Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal marred by an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered on international duty in October 2023.
He has repeatedly expressed his desire to be part of the squad for next summer's World Cup. Last month, Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti left the door open, but laid out clear expectations. "Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup," Ancelotti stated. "He has six months to get into the definitive list. He has recovered, but he needs to show performance. When the Brazilian league ends, he will have a holiday, and then he must show his quality and physical condition again."
Ancelotti also suggested a tactical shift, noting, "He needs to play more focused, not as a winger. The wingers in today's football are players who must also help defensively. When you play a bit more inside, the defensive work is much less than if you play as a winger." For now, Neymar's focus—and his heroic efforts—are firmly on securing Santos's top-flight status.
