In the Brazilian Paulista Championship, Brazilian star Neymar made his comeback to his boyhood team, Santos, on Wednesday for a dull 1-1 draw with Botafogo. The striker, who left the team 12 years ago, was greeted like a hero by joyful and tearful fans on their phones prior to game.
After Santos took the lead thanks to a penalty kick from Tiquinho Soares in the first half, Neymar, who turned 33, entered the game as a substitute. The forward had a hard first game in sixteen months. It wasn’t enough to try to replicate the alchemy that made him a world-class player during his five years at Barcelona.
In the 67th minute, Botafogo equalized thanks to a goal by Alexandre de Jesus. Santos was unable to take advantage of their numerical advantage, but Wallison was dismissed four minutes later for fouling Neymar.
“I can’t describe love.”After the game, Neymar said, “I love Santos and can’t describe how I felt when I stepped on the pitch today.” “It was a difficult game. On the side, I even mentioned my father. They hit, defend, and mark a lot at the back, which is why I said it’s a difficult game.
They found a ball and scored. The player advised me to practice and have patience. Neymar was acquired by Al-Hilal from Paris St. Germain, but he only played seven games before hurting his left meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament in an October World Cup qualifying match against Uruguay. The striker claims that by returning to Santos, he will be able to “play football again” and finish his career.
