Neymar, Brazil’s top scorer, has extended his contract with his childhood club Santos FC until December. The 33-year-old forward returned to Santos in January on a six-month deal after ending his contract with Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal.
During his time with Santos, Neymar played 243 matches, scoring 141 goals and providing 69 assists. Although there were talks about him returning to Europe, the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona star decided to stay with Santos through the end of the Brazilian Serie A season.
“I made my decision by listening to my heart,” Neymar said. “Santos is not just my team, it’s my home, my roots, my history, and my life. Here, I grew from a boy into a man, and here I am truly loved. Here, I can be happy being myself.”
He added, “I want to fulfill my unfinished dreams here, and no one can stop me. I leave, I return, and I stay where it all started—and it will never end.”
Neymar was recalled to the Brazil national team in March after 17 months but did not participate in the World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina. He has played 128 games for Brazil, scoring 79 goals. However, he has not appeared for the national team since suffering a knee injury in October 2023 against Uruguay.
