Neymar said he was left speechless after making his first appearance for Santos since returning to the Brazilian club where he began his illustrious career.

Related to this round of the Paulista, Neymar is very close to making his re-debut for Santos, this Wednesday (5), against Botafogo-SP. The expectation is that the star will enter the game in the second half, marking the return of the number 10 shirt to Brazilian football.

Brazil forward Neymar will return to his boyhood club Santos from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, he posted on social media on Thursday.

Neymar has agreed to return to Santos nearly 12 years after he left the Brazilian team, club president Marcelo Teixeira said Tuesday.

Neymar is Santos's greatest player since Pele, and he overtook 'O Rei' as Brazil's record goal-scorer in September 2023. But by age 33 Pele had won the World Cup three times, while Neymar's three World Cups have ended in tears.

Neymar made his long awaited return to his boyhood club Santos and received massive ovation from the crowd on his 33rd birthday.

Neymar took powerful shots from the edge of the box and ran above his own expectations in 52 minutes on the pitch for Santos on Wednesday in his first game for the Brazilian club since his return last week.

Neymar took powerful shots from the edge of the box and ran above his own expectations in 52 minutes on the pitch for Santos on Wednesday in his first game for the Brazilian club since his return last week.

But there’s a giant “and yet” hanging over Neymar’s career. Somehow, despite all those achievements, he hasn’t quite achieved all he could – or should – have. The Ballon d’Or and the World Cup remain conspicuously absent from his trophy cabinet.