Neymar’s return to Brazil has gone from bad to worse with the forward ruled out for the remainder of boyhood club Santos’ Brazilian Serie A relegation battle through injury.
The 33-year-old missed Monday’s 1-1 draw at Internacional after complaining of knee discomfort in the build-up to kick-off.
It was hoped that he would just miss that match and return for Saturday’s home clash with Sport, but the prognosis is worse – ruling him out of that game as well as the final two of a poor season.
And that is because Globo Esporte report that he has suffered meniscus injury in his left knee and will not play again for the rest of the year.
He learned of his fate on Tuesday after undergoing tests in Sao Paulo.
The playmaker’s problem arose in the first half of a 1-1 draw with Mirassol on November 19, having started that match and the two previously. He did play the full duration of the encounter, in which he scored a fourth-minute opener, with Mirassol after the injury.
Neymar will miss the rest of Santos’ season for 2025 after suffering a left knee meniscus injury
The 33-year-old suffered the injury during Santos’ 1-1 draw with Mirassol on November 19
Neymar scored the opening goal of the game before suffering the injury in the first half
Speaking after Monday’s clash with Internacional, Santos manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda was optimistic about the injury.
‘The plan is for him to be in the match against Sport,’ he told reporters.
‘I have to talk to him, I’m not in his physical presence and I will respect Neymar’s decisions. But his commitment is to be there, he always wants to be there.
‘Before the Mirassol game, he felt discomfort in his knee. He also felt it during the game. The following day, he was experiencing significant discomfort in that knee. We know we have games every three days.
‘With travel, we’ll arrive in Santos tomorrow afternoon… He’s a player we need for all three rounds and he’ll help us.
‘He’s our leader on the field. He’ll be there. He felt he wouldn’t be able to meet the demands of today’s game.’
Sadly for Vojvoda, his words will not ring true with Santos facing the prospect of being relegated.
They are currently in the relegation zone, sitting 17th in the table – one point and place away from safety which is occupied by Vitoria.
Santos are staring at relegation with three matches left in the Brazilian Serie A standings
Neymar originally joined hometown club Santos in January on a six-month deal which was then extended until December. Before returning to Brazil his 16-month spell at Saudi side Al-Hilal was blighted by an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in his left knee in October 2023 while on international duty for Brazil.
Since being at Santos, his time at the club has also been plagues with injuries – with this the fourth physical issue he has had.
In March he suffered a left hamstring injury, a month later it was left thigh – reducing him to tears. In September it was his right thigh and now it’s his left knee.
In all competitions for Santos in 2025, he has scored seven goals and provided three assists in 27 appearances.
The injury leaves a question mark over Neymar’s 2026 World Cup aspirations. He won’t play for the rest of the year and the new Brazilian season doesn’t start until late March.
Neymar (pictured in October 2023) has aspirations to play for Brazil at the 2026 World Cup
Speaking earlier this month about the possibility of recalling Neymar in the future, Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti said: ‘Neymar is on the list of players who can go to the World Cup. He has six months to make the final list.
‘Neymar has recovered, but he needs to show performance. When the Brazilian league ends, he’ll have some vacation time, and then he must show his quality and physical condition again.’
‘The truth is that soccer today asks for many things, not just talent. Also, physical condition, intensity. Hopefully, Neymar can be at his best level.
‘He needs to play more centrally, not as a winger. Wingers in today’s soccer are players you need to help also defensively. When you play a little bit more inside the defensive work is much less than if you play as a winger.’
