Neymar scores in 1st full match in five months

Santos guardant Neymar scored his archetypal league extremity of the play against league leaders Flamengo connected Wednesday and proclaimed the triumph arsenic "a caller beginning."

The Brazil forward, who had turned down the accidental to play astatine the FIFA Club World Cup with Fluminense to absorption connected his fitness, played against Flamengo for the full crippled and scored its lone extremity successful the 84th minute.

"I'm truly blessed to beryllium capable to lend successful each way, some successful onslaught and defense," Neymar said. "In my opinion, Flamengo is the champion squad successful the league. It's a caller opening for us. We showed that we tin play against immoderate squad successful the Brasileirão."

Neymar was peculiarly thrilled to play each 90 minutes for Santos for the archetypal clip since Feb. 23. Recurring muscular problems had constricted Neymar since returning to boyhood nine Santos earlier this twelvemonth aft terminating his declaration with Al Hilal.

"I privation to play each crippled for 90 minutes," helium said.

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"I'm not 100%, but I'm getting amended each day. I privation to beryllium successful amended shape, and that takes time. Both playing and training. My assemblage is inactive adapting, getting utilized to everything again. It's not casual to woody with the wounded I had."

Neymar spent overmuch of his clip successful Saudi Arabia connected the sidelines owed to an ACL wounded helium sustained portion connected planetary work with Brazil successful October 2023.

He has yet to marque his long-awaited instrumentality to the Brazil nationalist team.

Neymar precocious signed a declaration extension with Santos until the extremity of the year, with an enactment to widen it done the 2026 World Cup.