Santos has encountered many heart-wrenching moments in the past few years… The tears flowed when the legendary Pelé departed, and shortly thereafter, when the team faced relegation to the second division for the very first time. However, one player has rekindled hope at the “Vila Belmiro” stadium.

That player, who is regarded almost as a god in this region of São Paulo, is Neymar. After a wait of 11 years and 258 days, he has returned to don the famous white jersey, stepping back onto the pitch as one of the club’s greatest players.

The former captain of Brazil rejoined his childhood club after leaving Al-Ahly and made his return in the Paulista Championship against Botafogo SP, a team from Serie B, which ended in a 1-1 draw.

Neymar took to the field in the second half, but the excitement surrounding his return began even before the match kicked off.

As soon as he entered the field, all eyes were on him, and both the club and its supporters went out of their way to give their star a warm welcome…

“I love Santos; I can’t find the words to describe my feelings tonight when I stepped onto that pitch again,” Neymar expressed.

The footballing brilliance of the man who has represented Brazil 128 times and scored 79 goals was acknowledged by the opposing players, who eagerly lined up one by one for photos with Neymar. There were even apologies offered when they committed fouls against him.

Although it was evident that he was still working to regain his peak form and fitness, Neymar showcased several skills that once enthralled audiences in Europe.

“I need to play more to find my rhythm. I’m not at 100%, and I didn’t anticipate running and dribbling as much tonight. I believe I’ll feel better after four or five matches,” Neymar added.

Rodrigo also celebrated the return of his idol – the former Santos star and current Real Madrid player watched the match on TV from São Paulo, proudly clad in Neymar’s jersey.

Neymar first departed from Santos in 2013, joining Barcelona, where he formed a deadly trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. Together, they led Barça to Champions League glory in 2015, and his memorable performance during the incredible “remontada” against Paris Saint-Germain will always be recalled.

After his time with Barcelona, he moved to PSG in a historic transfer worth €222 million, which remains the largest in football history.

Subsequently, he transferred to Al-Hilal from Paris, though it became evident that frequent injuries had hindered his peak performance.

Now, Neymar aims to revitalize his career right where it all began.

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