- Neymar injured 34 minutes into first Santos start
- Emotional exit during 100th Vila Belmiro appearance
- Hasn’t played for Brazil since October 2023 ACL tear
Neymar left the pitch in tears just 34 minutes into his first start for Santos in the Brazilian Serie A after suffering a leg injury. The 33-year-old, recently back from a six-week thigh injury, was celebrating his 100th appearance at Vila Belmiro but was forced off after feeling discomfort.
Wearing a special commemorative jersey, Neymar signaled to the bench and sat down for medical attention before being taken off on a buggy, clutching his left thigh. Teammates and even rival Hulk consoled the visibly upset forward.
Santos coach Cesar Sampaio said it’s too early to confirm the extent of the injury. Neymar has scored three goals in eight games since returning from Al-Hilal and hasn’t played for Brazil since an ACL injury in October 2023.
