After more than a year of absence due to a serious injury, Neymar returned to official competition on Monday evening, coming on in the 77th minute of the Asian Champions League match won by his Saudi club Al-Hilal in Al-Aïn, in the United Arab Emirates (5-4).
The Brazilian star, 32, injured his cruciate ligament and meniscus on October 17, 2023 with Brazil in a qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup against Uruguay.
“Spread the word: the Neymar legend is back”tweeted the Saudi club announcing its entry into play in a live report of the match on its X account.
Neymar didn’t really have time to stand out, even if he had a great chance in the 87th minute. Served in depth, the Brazilian relied in a one-two on his Serbian teammate Aleksandar Mitrovic but his cross shot from the left from the corner of the area fled the frame, brushed by the Al-Aïn goalkeeper according to slow motion footage of the action.
“When I brought Neymar on, the score was 5-3, we were two goals ahead, there were spaces. But the red card (received by Al Bulayhi, one of his teammates, Editor’s note) came just after this substitution, which deprived us of an attacker since Mitrovic had to leave the pitch (89th). We then had less offensive power”commented Al-Hilal’s Portuguese coach, Jorge Jesus, after the match.
“I’m not coming back halfway”
Bringing in his star player, short of competition, perhaps carries a risk for his team, he admitted. But the technician has no choice: “We have to use these matches to prepare him, it’s the only way to bring one of our important players back to the highest level. »
Before his injury, Neymar had only played five matches with the Saudi club which he joined in August 2023 from Paris SG for some 100 million euros per season, according to media reports.
Neymar warming up on October 21, 2024 at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. After a year of absence due to injury, the Brazilian star played again in official competition with his Saudi club Al-Hilal during an Asian Champions League match / Adel AL-NAIMI / AFP/Archives
“I know you are impatient, I am too, and on October 21, I am back”he announced in a video published Sunday by the Saudi club. “I came back every time I got injured, and I don’t come back half way”he warned.
Neymar says he has set several goals for himself until the 2026 World Cup in Mexico, Canada and the United States. The next matches of the Brazilian selection in the qualifiers are scheduled for November.
His absence did not affect the results of his new club, which last season won the Saudi championship for the 19th time. Nor those of the Seleçao, who recovered with two consecutive victories against Chile (1-2) and Peru (4-0), now ranked fourth.
