Santos completed one of the most dramatic survival missions in recent Brazilian football history on Sunday night, defeating third-placed Cruzeiro 3–0 on the final day of the season to secure their place in Serie A.
At the heart of the great escape was Neymar—emotional, visibly in pain, yet decisive when Santos needed him most. The 33-year-old forward, who returned to his boyhood club in January, has endured a difficult campaign marked by recovery from a serious knee injury, but his influence in the season’s closing stages proved decisive.
In the final run-in, Neymar produced a series of standout performances, scoring in a 3–0 win over Sport Recife, firing a hat-trick against Juventude in another 3–0 victory, and dictating play as the creative heartbeat in the crucial win over Cruzeiro at Vila Belmiro.
Those results lifted Santos to 12th place with 47 points, rescuing a season that once appeared destined for relegation, which would have been only the second demotion in the club’s storied history.
In Sunday’s decisive clash, Thaciano struck twice in quick succession in the 26th and 28th minutes, before J. Schmidt sealed the outcome on the hour mark in the second half.
Santos’ first-ever relegation came in 2023, ending a 111-year spell of uninterrupted participation in Brazil’s top flight. The relief at full-time was overwhelming, especially for Neymar. After the final whistle, he dropped to his knees in the centre circle, overcome with emotion.
Despite struggling with meniscus and knee problems, Neymar insisted on playing through the decisive stretch of the season. He later walked around the pitch applauding supporters who stood by the club during its tense battle for survival.
Although he featured in just 19 league matches, Neymar still managed eight goals and several decisive contributions. Speaking afterwards, he admitted how difficult the final weeks had been.
“I came for this, to try to help the best way I can. These have been tough weeks for me,” Neymar was quoted as saying by Tribuna.
“I thank those who were with me to lift me up. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have played these matches because of these injuries, this knee problem. I need to rest, and then we will have this knee surgery.”
He did not disclose details of the planned surgery or a timeline, though he remains hopeful of earning a place in Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad.
Santos’ captain later shared images of the celebrations on his official X account with the caption in Portuguese, “Deus, OBRIGADO!”—translated as “God, Thank You.”
Meanwhile, national team coach Carlo Ancelotti, who took charge in May, is yet to select Neymar, but the forward’s late-season club form has revived interest in his international future.
Sports Star noted on Monday that Santos fans will remember the escape as one of the club’s great modern survival stories and as a chapter where their most famous academy product once again carried the badge with pride, even while injured.
Sunday’s victory not only sealed safety but also reaffirmed Neymar’s enduring bond with the club that launched his career. Neymar left Santos for Europe in 2013, joining Barcelona, later moving to Paris Saint-Germain, and eventually to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia.
In January 2025, Neymar ended his injury-plagued 18-month spell in Saudi Arabia after Al-Hilal announced they had terminated his contract by mutual consent, paving the way for his emotional return to Santos.
