With tears in his eyes and emotions running high, Neymar Jr. returned to Santos FC, his boyhood club. Braving the rain, 20,000 passionate fans packed the stadium, welcoming their homegrown star with a grand three-hour celebration.
The event began long before Neymar’s arrival, with heavy rain pouring down. But for the fans, that was no reason to back down. Thousands filled the stands, holding banners that read “The Prince Is Back,” while a massive AI-generated mural outside the stadium depicted Neymar wearing a crown. For those who couldn’t get into the stadium, thousands more gathered outside, turning the occasion into a vibrant festival of music, fireworks, and, of course, football.
When Neymar finally arrived, he smiled, laughed, and even cried, taking everyone on an emotional journey—reminiscing about the past while looking ahead to the future. Santos FC, with all its passion and love, welcomed its prodigal son back home.
The Brazilian superstar flew from Saudi Arabia to São Paulo on Thursday morning via private jet. After a brief rest, he took a helicopter to Santos.
Before the main event, Neymar completed the formalities of his contract signing and visited the training ground to meet his new teammates and club officials.
Santos’ official Facebook page posted a video titled “The Prince Is Back,” chronicling Neymar’s journey from a young academy player to becoming the club’s star.
Starting with the No. 18 jersey and later wearing No. 11, Neymar will now don the club’s iconic No. 10—the same jersey worn by the legendary Pelé, who made Santos and Brazilian football famous worldwide.
The tribute video honored Pelé, and Neymar acknowledged the legend’s words about returning to Santos.
“King Pelé, your wish is my command. The throne and crown remain yours because you are eternal. But this No. 10 jersey—the sacred shirt that represents Santos and so much more to the world—is an honor for me to wear. I promise to do everything possible to uphold your legacy.”
As Neymar stepped onto the field amid dazzling fireworks and roaring cheers, he took his time to acknowledge the fans, saying:
“I’m so happy to be back. We shared so many great moments here, and there’s still so much more to do.”
At one point, fans started chanting for Neymar to show off his dribbling skills. He responded with some slick moves before declaring:
“I won’t hold back when it comes to playing beautiful football.”
Later, in a press conference, Neymar revealed the reasoning behind his decision to return.
“Some decisions go beyond football or logic. Some things just feel right. To be honest, at the start of January, I never imagined I’d be leaving Al Hilal or coming back to Santos. I was happy there, my family was happy, and I had fully adjusted to life there. I was eager to play.”
“Then, certain things happened, and I had to make a decision. During training, I wasn’t feeling great, and things weren’t going as well as I hoped. Then, the opportunity to return came up, and I didn’t think twice.”
Returning to Santos, Neymar feels like he’s reliving his childhood.
“The day I decided to come back, I told my father to finalize everything immediately. Everyone is happy. I feel reborn here. The moment I set foot in Santos again, it felt like I was 17 years old all over again. I’m thrilled, excited, and can’t wait to play.”
Neymar joined Santos at the age of 11 and made his professional debut at 17. In just four years, he played 225 matches, scored 136 goals, and provided 64 assists. His biggest achievement came in 2011, when he led Santos to their first Copa Libertadores title in 50 years.
After a successful spell at Barcelona and a record-breaking move to PSG, Neymar joined Saudi club Al Hilal in 2023. However, injuries limited him to just seven matches in 18 months, with only one goal to his name.
Now, at 32, Neymar has made his long-awaited return to Santos. His initial contract is for six months, with an option to extend for another year. Reports suggest he sacrificed around $25-30 million in wages to make the move happen.