Santos President: Welcome Back Neymar “To His People”
Marcelo Teixeira, president of Brazilian football club Santos, addressed the legendary forward of the Brazilian national team Neymar on Tuesday, saying: “It’s time, Neymar, to return to your people,” without officially announcing his transfer yet after Neymar’s contract with Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia was terminated.
Teixeira added in a video posted on his Instagram account: “It’s time, Neymar. It’s time to return to your people, to your home, to our beloved club.”
The president of the club, located in southern São Paulo, where “King Pele” spent most of his career (1956–1974), continued: “Welcome back, Neymar. (…) Come and be happy again. The people of Santos are waiting for you with open arms.”
Neymar (32 years old) joined Al-Hilal in August 2023 for around 100 million euros per year after spending six years with Paris Saint-Germain (2017-2023).
However, an injury to his left knee’s cruciate ligament during a match with the Brazilian national team just two months after arriving in Riyadh sidelined him for a year.
Until then, Neymar had played only seven matches for Al-Hilal, scoring one goal and providing three assists.
Neymar, the world’s most expensive player, when he moved from Barcelona to PSG for 222 million euros in 2017, returned to the field in October 2024, but new injuries allowed him to play for no more than 40 minutes in two matches.
Al-Hilal announced on Monday night-Tuesday morning the “termination of the contractual relationship with Neymar by mutual agreement,” opening the door for his return to Brazilian football.
