AdminBy Valerian Ejem
Brazilian professional footballer, da Silva Santos Júnior, has officially returned to his boyhood club Santos after leaving Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal. The football star confirmed his return through a post on social media on Thursday.
According to an Italian Sports Journalists, Fabrizio Romano, Neymar Jr. mutually terminated his contract with Al-Hilal.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThis decision comes after a challenging period at Al-Hilal, where injuries limited him to just seven appearances since joining in 2023.
Neymar made his professional debut for Santos in 2009 at just 17 years old. The young footballer known for his dribbling creativity, did not find his way to the first team difficult.
He helped Santos win the Copa do Brasil (2010), Campeonato Paulista (2010–2012), and Copa Libertadores (2011), marking Santos’ first Libertadores win since Pelé’s era in 1963.
Neymar’s incredible performances drew global attention, which saw him win Puskas Award for his beautiful solo goal against Flamengo and also became one of the youngest players to appear in the Prestigious Ballon d’or Award when he ranked 10th in 2011.
READ ALSO: Transfer News:Neymar Completes Al-Hilal Move In Huge $400m Deal
In 2013, he was sold to FC Barcelona for €57 million, though later investigations revealed the transfer value was closer to €86.2 million, making it one of the most controversial transfers in history. In Barcelona, Neymar formed the iconic “MSN” trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. Together, they won La Liga two consecutive seasons in 2014/15 season and 2015/16 season , the Copa del Rey three consecutive seasons in 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons and the UEFA Champions league in the 2014/15 season
Neymar won the joint highest goal scorer in the 2014/15 Champions League together with his teammate Lionel Messi and their Madrid rival Christiano Ronaldo including one goal in the finals against Juventus. He finished 3rd in the 2015 Ballon d’Or rankings.
Neymar shocked the football world when he left Barcelona. He was sold to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for a world-record transfer fee of €222 million, which remains unbeaten to date.
He joined PSG to step out of Messi’s shadow and establish himself as the best player in the world.
While at PSG, he won multiple domestic trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles in 2017/18, 2018–19, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022/23 and Coupe de France titles.
He played a crucial role in leading PSG to the 2020 UEFA Champions League Final, although they lost to Bayern Munich.
His time at PSG was affected by injuries, disciplinary issues, and off-field controversies. Neymar often faced criticism for failing to meet expectations, particularly in the Champions League.
In August 2023, Neymar joined Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal for €90 million. Neymar’s time in Saudi Arabia was brief and did not live to the hype. He suffered injuries that limited his appearances to just 7 matches, scoring a single goal.
Recently, Neymar mutually terminated his contract with Al-Hilal, paving the way for his return to his boyhood club Santos FC. Fabrizio Romano Stated that the transfer is almost complete with minor details remain to sort outside. By ending his contract with Al Hilal, Neymar forfeited approximately $71 million in unpaid wages, which in a way shows his evergreen commitment to his boyhood club Santos FC.
His return to Santos is anticipated to boost the team’s performance in the Brazilian Série A and their aspirations in the Copa Libertadores.
Neymar has always been dubbed the name, ‘Prince that never became king’, as many believe that he did not perform to the standards of his talent.
Ejem is an intern at Prime Business Africa
