Neymar made his long-awaited return to football after more than a year out with a serious knee injury.
The Brazil superstar was a 77th-minute substitute for Al Hilal in a 5-4 AFC Champions League win against Al Ain, making just his sixth appearance for the club since signing his reported £138m contract to join them in August 2023.
AFPNeymar played his first game in 369 days for Al Hilal[/caption]
The decision to join the Saudi Pro League side from Paris Saint-Germain drew plenty of attention but despite the eye-watering sum of money, the 32-year-old has been unable to have his desired impact on the pitch for his new side.
He played just five times for Al Hilal before rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus while playing for Brazil in a 2026 World Cup qualifier in October last year.
But fans were finally able to catch a glimpse of Neymar’s world-class talent once again, as he announced his return to football with an exciting 13-minute cameo appearance off the bench.
After replacing teammate Nasser Al-Dawsari to cheers from the Al Ain crowd, the former Barcelona star got straight into the action.
He showed off his trademark flair with an outrageous nutmeg on one of his opponents near to the halfway line, before being tripped up.
And he nearly enjoyed the dream comeback in the 86th minute, as he came close to finding the back of the net when his left-footed shot forced a fingertip save from the Al Ain goalkeeper.
Having entered the field with Al Hilal leading at 5-3, Neymar will be relieved his near miss did not come back to haunt him, with their UAE Pro League opponents scoring in the 95th minute to make for a tense final few minutes.
After Al Hilal held on to record a dramatic win, Neymar shared his delight at featuring in his first match following a 369-day absence.
On the pitch at full-time, he said: “I feel good – it’s [been] so hard. I always have a good team. But I’m so happy. I’m back! I’m back!”
GettyThe Brazilian will be keen to add to the one previous goal for Al Hilal he scored in October 2023[/caption]
And it wasn’t just the former PSG winger who celebrated his return to the field.
Both his national side and first club, Santos, took to social media to congratulate him on his comeback.
On Instagram, the Brazil national team’s official account wrote: “Congratulations, Neymar, on your return to the pitch!
“On the pitch, you represent the magic and talent of Brazilian football. Good luck in this new phase, star.”
It finished by adding: “The CBF celebrates and congratulates Neymar, one of the greatest players in the history of world football, on his return to the pitch.”
Meanwhile, the Brazilian Serie B side where he scored 136 goals in 225 games at the beginning of his career had an equally touching tribute.
On Instagram, Santos posted: “It’s been more than 12 months away from the pitch, with an immeasurable longing to get back to doing what he loves so much.
“Neymar isn’t just a star. He’s not just a genius. Neymar is synonymous with joy in football. His return is the happiness of millions of fans around the world.
Neymar is Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goalsGetty
“And when it comes to fans, the Santos nation has an incomparable feeling. A more than special bond with the best Brazilian player of recent years.
“It’s good to see you back, eternal Village Boy. Go get ‘em!”
While Neymar will now be keen to get his Al Hilal career up and running, he faces a wait before he can fully participate with the Saudi side in all competitions.
Due to limits on the number of foreign players that can be registered in the Saudi Pro League, the forward will only be able to be registered in January for the second half of the season.
In the meantime, he is eligible to play in the AFC Champions League, while he will be hopeful of making a return to the Brazil team in time for their November internationals against Venezuela and Uruguay.
