Neymar He lived on Wednesday another emotional day, but the party was not complete. The Brazilian crack played his First match of his return to Santos And he was all the second half on the court: he received a Ball in the grointhey hit him kick in tone ‘South American’ And he suffered the Botafogo-RP (1-1) tie, by date 7 of the Paulista championship. All on the 33rd birthday.
Between the heat and moisture, carrying for the first time the shirt ’10’ immortalized by Pelé, the star again defended the Santos of Brazil … and tied. The Vila Belmiro stadium, nestled in a residential neighborhood of the port city of Santos, close to San Pablo, received with devotion the prodigal son he barely entered the field to come in heat: The fans chanted her name and sang her birthday almost twelve years after her departure.
And he, who began in the substitute bank for the game against the weak Botafogo de Ribeirão Preto (RP), replied thanking heaven and raising his palms.
The result of the party (1-1) was almost anecdotal, because the attention of the 15,377 spectators that almost filmed the little but emblematic sports venue owned: Neymar da Silva Santos Júniorthat on Friday one of the most important signings of recent times in the football of America.
The striker Tiquinho Soares He opened the account, of penalty (38), for the hosts. But the attacker Alexandre de Jesus (67) tied head and caused the locals by celebrating with the commemorative gesture of the night star.
‘Ney’, which in his first stage used numbers 7 and 11, entered at the beginning of the second half (46) in replacement of the youth Gabriel Bontempo.
The flyer Diego Pituca, another local reference, gave him Captain’s tape And the fan surrendered to her idol, who did not wear the ‘Peixe’ jacket, where Pelé played most of her career (1956-1974), since May 26, 2013.
Days later, the spoiled of the fanatic Santista, who divides opinions in Brazil, crossed the Atlantic to join FC Barcelona. In 2017 he left for the PSG and, in 2023, following another millionaire contract, left the Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia.
Little went well on Arab soil. The injuries insisted with Neymar, who barely played seven games in 17 months, the last one in November.
On his return to Vila Belmiro, where family and friends accompanied him, such as the Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina, he was seen a battalist and gave brushstrokes of his talent, despite suffering the strong game of his adversaries.
The first ball that touched his body, was a ball in the groin after a clearance of a rival. At the minute of the second half, they committed a strong infraction.
Although it was inaccurate in the passes, in the 61st minute almost noted with a left -footed shot from the edge of the area, after avoiding two rivals, which the goalkeeper rejected.
It was his best movement in front of a Botafogo-RP that was left with ten men in the 71st minute for the expulsion of Wallison.
Nor the numerical superiority allowed the Santos, directed by the Portuguese Pedro Caixinhaabsent from the bank by sanction, resumed the advantage and re -sow doubts in its loose start of the year (three losses in seven meetings).
Despite the unexpected result, the historical scorer of the Canarinha returned as ‘Prince’ to the house of the deceased ‘king’ Pelé and was applauded.
In the 10th minute, the ‘crooked’ paid tribute to the pair of cracks by displaying a flag with their face.
The obsession of ‘Ney’ in his return is to recover his best football to fight for the title with Brazil in the 2026 World Cup.
The return home is not just a “sports rescue”, as he recognizes, it is also a light of hope for a team that for years faces financial problems and that this season returns to the First Division after an unpublished descent in 2023 .
But Santos, who will visit the Novorizontino on Sunday, made it clear that he has a job to do.