The Samba King is back: Neymar set to join Santos after leaving Al-Hilal with immediate effect
- Mayank Srivastava
- Jan 28
- 3 min read
Santos FC have finally reached an agreement with Al-Hilal for a short-term loan deal for their star player, Neymar Jr.
As per Fabrizio Romano, Al-Hilal have terminated Neymar’s contract with immediate effect, putting an end to his horrible spell with the reigning Saudi League champions.
Neymar will fly out to Brazil today to sign all the contracts with Santos and is expected to be officially announced as their latest signing by tomorrow.
The return of the king: Neymar returns to Santos after 12 years
Neymar will officially sign as a Santos FC player in the upcoming days, marking his return to his boyhood club, 12 years since he last played for them.
Santos were the first big breakthrough in Neymar's prolific career, giving him the platform to showcase his incredible talent in front of the entire world.
In just 225 appearances with the Brazilian giants, Neymar registered 136 goals and 64 assists, making the world take notice of a generational talent like him. In a special spell with Santos, his best season was the 2011/12 season, in which he took his game to unbelievable heights.
In 66 games for club and country, La Joia recorded a staggering 56 goals and 30 assists, leading Santos to 2 titles while also winning the Silver Medal with Brazil at the 2012 London Olympics.
Along with the team achievements, Neymar earned many incredible personal accolades, including the MVP in the Brazilian Serie A, the Golden Boot Award in the Brazilian Serie A, and the prestigious FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal scored.
Neymar also finished 13th in FIFA Ballon d’or rankings that year, which followed his memorable 10th place finish in the previous edition of the Ballon d’or.
As a result of his phenomenal season with Santos, many European giants came rushing in to sign the Brazilian sensation. However, it was FC Barcelona who eventually got Neymar’s signature, leading to arguably one of the most iconic stories in the history of football.
An opportunity to revive his international career?
Understandably, Neymar’s best years are way past him, even though the Brazilian turns just 33 in a few weeks. His deteriorating physical condition indicates that he might have just a couple of more years left in him.
However, a spell of consistent performances could earn Neymar a spot in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad, after being excluded from the national team since the 2022 World Cup.
The goal of earning a spot in Brazil’s squad for the 2026 World Cup appears to be the only target that Neymar is looking to achieve, before eventually calling it a day with the beautiful game.
Neymar’s club career at the highest level came to a premature end, when the Brazilian left Europe in the summer of 2023.
Even after his loan spell with Santos, Neymar is expected to join MLS in the summer, putting an end to any possibilities of returning to Europe.
His huge spells on the sidelines due to multiple injuries while playing in Saudi Arabia has resulted in the star forward's exclusion from Brazil's squad, even for the 2024 Copa America.
Therefore, the short-term spell at Santos allows Neymar a chance to revive his international career as it allows him to play in a familiar environment.
A good spell at Santos could allow Neymar to build the momentum and form, which he has been lacking since 2023, required to a make spectacular return to his national team.
Comments