Neymar homecoming to Santos is reminder of promise unfulfilled

When Neymar left Brazil aged 21 in 2013, bound for Barcelona, he set off to establish himself as a footballing great, seemingly destined to be remembered as his country’s greatest player since Pele.

Last week, 12 years on, he returned to first club Santos -- Neymar the celebrity with unimaginable wealth, but a footballer whose fragile body has been badly diminished by injuries.

Neymar has been one of the finest players in the world when at the top of his game, a forward with dazzling skill who “understands football as art”, as his former Barcelona coach Luis Enrique once said.

It is equally true that he never managed to fulfil his potential, a player who dreamt of winning the Ballon d’Or but always found himself in the shadow of others at club level, whether it be Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappe.

Having signed a six-month deal, he is expected to make his second debut for Santos on Wednesday, his 33rd birthday, when they play Botafogo-SP in the Sao Paulo state championship.

“He will play on Wednesday,” confirmed Santos coach Pedro Caixinha, who had a short spell as manager of Rangers in Scotland in 2017.

But the Neymar effect is already there, his presence contributing to a 3-1 win over Sao Paulo on Saturday which came just after the superstar had been presented at the club’s Vila Belmiro home.

“He played a big part in this victory,” forward Guilherme said after scoring twice and earning praise from Neymar.

“He passed on so much positive energy. I am grateful. This is not praise from just anyone. He is an idol of mine, of my children, of the nation.”

Neymar is Santos’s greatest player since Pele, and he overtook ‘O Rei’ as Brazil’s record goal-scorer in September 2023.

Agencies