Neymar ended a 16-month goal drought with a penalty in Santos’ 3-1 win over Agua Santa in the Paulista Championship on Sunday.
The 33-year-old forward, who has been recovering from a serious knee injury, converted a spot-kick in the 14th minute to give Santos an early lead. Thaciano added a second goal, and Neymar provided an assist for Guilherme’s 70th-minute strike to seal the victory.
Neymar’s last goal came in October 2023 while playing for Al-Hilal, but his knee injury limited him to just seven appearances for the Saudi club.
After the match, Neymar expressed his joy at returning to the field. He acknowledged that he is still not fully physically fit but continues to make progress. While his contract with Santos runs until June, Neymar emphasized the importance of taking things one step at a time.
“I’m happy to be playing again. I feel I’m improving,” said Neymar, who completed a return to Santos after Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent following an injury-hit spell with the club.
He added: “Obviously I’m not going to be 100% physically, it’s only my fourth game but I’m getting better and better.
“I was anxious to score and wanted to dedicate this to the fans and my family.”