A Brazilian football mural Neymar is painted next to the Vila Belmiro Stadium in Santos, Brazil, on Friday, January 31, 2025, before a rite present him as a new Santos FC player.
Andre Penner / AP
Santos, Brazil – Neymar will be welcome on Friday at his club of years of training through thousands of Santos enthusiasts and a concert at the domestic stadium under an electronic signal that says: “The prince has returned. “
Neymar’s private jet landed in the Sao Paulo state countryside from Saudi Arabia in the morning but he requested a few hours of rest before being flown into Santos by helicopter.
The 32-year-old striker is expected to sign a short-term contract with Santos as he aims to recharge in Brazil ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
The banners that read “The prince is back” was sold for 10 Reais ($ 1. 50) outside the 20,000 -seat Vila Belmiro stadium, which is on the outskirts of Metropolis Sao Paulo.
The graffiti inspired by synthetic intelligence outside the doors The stadium showed that Neymar seemed more mature and with a crown in the head, it is not a small characteristic in a city where Pele King for decades until his death in December 2022 at the age 82 years.
The Santos store presented new shirts with Neymar’s call on the back, but with the No. 11 he carried in his first 200-13 spell. From now on, you will use Pelé’s No. 10.
“This is massive for Santos, both the club and the city,” graffiti artist E said.
Saudi club Al-Hilal ended Neymar’s contract with mutual consent this week, six months earlier, after playing just seven games and scoring since September 2023. An ACL injury sidelined him for a year until October. Al-Hilal said Neymar can no longer not serve as he used to.
Neymar had brief conversations with 3 MLS teams, the fire, before addressing Santos.
Neymar also left Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain to criticism, even if he delivered cutlery and objectives. On Thursday, he said he hoped to receive some love at home, where he will surely be revered.
Neymar played 225 games for Santos his first spell. He scored 138 goals, many of whom will win six titles for the Brazilian giant, who was relegated in 2023 and returned to the Superior Department last year.
“For us, Neymar’s return is a rebirth,” said Victor Hugo Arantes, 45, an event producer in Santos. “We weren’t expecting this. Neymar could play anywhere else, he has the level to be in top leagues. I think his heart spoke louder.”
Neymar, the beloved player in the history of football, when he transferred from Barcelona to the PSG for € 222 million (then $ 262 million) in 2017. It was sold to Al-Hilal in 2023 for € 90 million ($ 94 million ).
He has not played since November, however, Santos’s enthusiasts expect it to be in the countryside as soon as next week in the Sao Paulo state championship, which is pre -season through many local clubs. The Brazilian League is played from April to December.
Anderson Souza, 43, lives in Santos and is not a supporter of the club. But he is one of those who believes Neymar will put the city back on the map after some tough times.
“Pelé died, the team relegated, there is much sadness. I hope you return power, other people want it,” Souza said. “But you want to know that other people will want to act, make an effort for them, be at their best. Santos’s enthusiasts like, but they are not dumb. “
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