Neymar in tears after saving Santos from relegation

Santos secured a 3-0 home win over Cruzeiro on the final matchday of the season. This victory helped the club avoid relegation from Brazil's Serie A. 

After the final whistle, Neymar was overwhelmed with emotion. He embraced and thanked every teammate and staff member, with his eyes glistening with tears.

Neymar played a vital role for Santos in its successful battle to avoid relegation in the Brazilian championship after earning promotion last year. In the last three league games, the 33-year-old scored in a 3-0 win over Sport Recife and then hit a hat-trick in Wednesday’s 3-0 victory against Juventude. He also delivered a superb performance against Cruzeiro on Sunday.

In the last 2 weeks, Neymar had a meniscus injury in his left knee. Despite receiving treatment to manage the pain, the former Barcelona star still played the last three Santos matches. After the game, Neymar confirmed he will undergo surgery on his left knee: 

“I came for this, to try to help the best way I can. These have been tough weeks for me.

“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.”

Coming back to Santos in January, Neymar played only 19 of the 38 rounds of the league, which started in April. He scored eight goals.

Neymar’s future is still unclear, with the Brazilian superstar saying he doesn’t yet know what comes after his time at Santos. His World Cup dream under Carlo Ancelotti still hangs in the balance. The former PSG star said he still hoped to be included in Brazil's final squad for the 2026 World Cup.