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Brazilian side Santos announce Neymar’s return to the club with a video honouring Pele’s legacy. (1:19)
A tearful Neymar was welcomed back to his boyhood club Friday by thousands of Santos fans and a concert at the team’s home stadium beneath an electronic sign saying, “the prince is back.”
The forward signed a contract upon arrival that sources have told ESPN will run for six months.
About 20,000 Santos fans packed the Vila Belmiro stadium in the rain pouring out of the gates of São Paulo to celebrate the return of Neymar, 32.
His night arrival at the fireworks crowned a 3 -hour birthday party that also presented local singers.
“I’m very happy. We have experienced wonderful moments here. There are still many things that can come,” Neymar said on the field. When enthusiasts sang, they need to see him again, as he has in his career, he said, “I don’t lack boldness [in Dribble]. “
Shortly before, he greeted his future teammates and club executives at the Santos training ground.
Neymar’s private jet landed in the São Paulo state countryside from Saudi Arabia in the morning, but he requested a few hours of rest before being flown into Santos by helicopter.
Banners read “The Prince is Back” sold for 10 reais ($1. 50). The synthetic intelligence-inspired graffiti outside the gates The stadium showed that Neymar looked more mature and with a crown on his head, not a small feature in a city where Pelé’s king lasted for decades until his death in December 2022 at the age of 82.
A video posted through Santos on social networks showed that Neymar did not carry No. 11, which took his first destination from 2009 to 2013. The well -known Pelé 10 blouse will be carried at the time Fate Club.
“It will be an honor to use this sacred shirt,” Neymar in the video.
The Pro Saudi League Club, Al Hilal, announced Monday that they had signed an agreement with Neymar to terminate its contract after the Brazilian star obtained a purpose in seven appearances a marked injury through 18 months.
The former Barcelona star has torn the anterior cross ligament on her left knee when in the foreign service in a while after signing for Al Hilal. He returned to the box in October, however, an injury to the hamstrings prevented him from hiring him really extensive for the club.
Neymar was asked at a news conference when he decided he wanted to return to Santos.
“There are some decisions that go beyond the logic of soccer, and some are impactful,” he said. “When I was sure I was coming back, I confess that in January, at the beginning of January, I couldn’t imagine coming back to Santos or leaving Al Hilal. I was very happy there, my family was very happy there, I was very adapted and full of desire to play. Things happened and I had to make a decision. I started to feel sad in training, on a day-to-day basis, and it wasn’t going very well for me. The opportunity to return came up and I didn’t think twice.
“From the first day, I had already decided to come back, I told my father and everything worked out. Everyone is happy. I’m back with renewed energy. Ever since I set foot here I feel like I’m 17 again. I’m very happy, excited and very keen to play.”
Neymar began his professional career with Santos in 2009 and has become one of the brightest young talents of global football when he encouraged them to succeed in the Copa Libertadores in 2011.
He won 128 varieties for Brazil, marking a record of a variety of 79 objectives, two more than Pelé. The Neymar component of the Brazilian team that won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, which was held in Rio de Janeiro.
Reporting by the Associated Press, Reuters and ESPN Brazil contributed to this report