The Brazilian footballer returned to play for Al Hilal, but it was not a happy day. He entered in minute 58 and had to leave in minute 87. The Brazilian’s future is uncertain, but Inter Miami and Santos are closely monitoring his steps.
Neymar is having difficult days. The Brazilian returned to the field with Al Hilal. The football world was awaiting the return of the striker, who had been absent from the sport for more than a year. The former Barcelona player suffered a torn ligament and meniscus in his left knee while defending the colors of the Brazil team in a qualifying match against Uruguay on October 17, 2023. It took 371 days for the ram to return.
The day was not happy. In the 58th minute, he entered the field in a duel against Esteghlal, for the Asian Champions League. In the moments when he was on the field, he tried to be active. He positioned himself behind the forward line, preparing for the match. However, the 32-year-old felt unwell and was unable to complete the match. He was replaced when the clock showed 87′. After the meeting, he sent a sincere message through his social networks.
“I felt like it was a cramp, but very strong. I’m going to do some testing and hope it’s nothing serious. It is normal that after a year this happens. The doctors had already warned me. This is why I have to be careful and have more minutes to play,” Neymar wrote on his Instagram account.
A few weeks before making his long-awaited return, the Santos-trained player anticipated that he was about to set foot on the pitch again. “What I love most in life is playing football. I suffer every day from not being able to do it, that’s what hurts me the most,” he said, visibly shocked, in the record that went viral in mid-October.
They follow him from Brazil
Neymar’s future is a mystery. In June 2025, his contract with Al Hilal ends and it is not yet clear where he will end up. According to what has been reported by various European media, his destiny could be at Inter Miami, where he would have the chance to reissue the legendary trident with Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi. The North American team’s coach, Gerardo Martino, sees it as a possibility. “With the arrival of Leo and the rest of the boys, anything can happen” he condemned.
But from their country of origin, they also watch it carefully. In fact, Santos is confident that they will be able to convince him to come back. “It’s coming in June. This is the conversation we are having,” said Osvaldo Nico, vice president of the club’s board of directors. The Brazilian team now plays in Serie B, where it is leader. Returning to the Brasileirao is imperative to fulfill the desire. “There was a quick conversation, which is always the most effective, but to move forward the team must improve,” revealed Marcelo Teixeira, president of the institution.
The situation escalated to the technical staff. “It would be great to have him. It’s a dream, but let’s dream,” said coach Fábio Carille.
Source: Latercera
I’m Scott Moore, a professional writer and journalist based in the US. I’ve been writing for various publications for over 8 years now, and have been working as an author at athletistic for the past five years. My work has been featured by some of the leading sports websites and magazines across Europe.
