Neymar, Brazil's Historic Top Scorer, Returns to Santos and Dreams of 2026 World Cup

SadaNews - Brazilian football star Neymar returned to the pitch on Sunday, playing with his club Santos after weeks of absence due to undergoing knee surgery.

The 34-year-old forward came off the bench at the start of the second half of his team's match against Vilo Club in the "Paulista" Championship, which ended in a 6-0 victory for Santos.

In his first appearance since December of last year, Neymar showcased some glimpses of his usual skill, in a match where Santos was leading 3-0 at the end of the first half.

Neymar has had a tough season with Santos due to recurring injuries since joining the club after leaving Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia last year, but he played a pivotal role in keeping the team among the top-flight clubs.

He also reached an agreement to renew his contract with Santos until the end of 2026.

Neymar, the historic top scorer for Brazil, returns to Santos dreaming of the 2026 World Cup.

He is considered the all-time top scorer for the Brazilian national team with a record of 79 goals, two ahead of Pelé, but he has not played for the "Selecao" in over two years.

He dreams of returning to the Brazilian national team for the 2026 World Cup.

His last match in the national team jersey was on October 17, 2023, when he suffered a serious knee injury against Uruguay.

The new Italian coach of the Brazilian national team, Carlo Ancelotti, who took over in June, has not called him up yet. Ancelotti is at the helm of a team that has won the World Cup five times.

Brazil will play their first match in the World Cup on June 13 against Morocco, followed by a match against Haiti on the 19th, and then against Scotland on the 24th of the same month.

The "Selecao" will face France and Croatia in two friendly matches in the United States in March.

Source: Anadolu Agency