Brazilian star Neymar made a brief return to the pitch in the Brazilian Championship for Santos against Atlético-MG but was forced to exit the game after just 34 minutes due to a left thigh injury. This setback comes after his recent recovery from a similar injury that had kept him sidelined for six weeks.
Wearing a special jersey to mark his 100th appearance at Vila Belmiro, Neymar showed visible signs of discomfort in his left thigh early in the match. After requesting a substitution and receiving assistance to leave the field, an emotional Neymar underwent immediate treatment with an ice pack applied to his injured thigh. This injury adds to his previous absence from Brazil's World Cup qualifiers due to a left-thigh injury suffered in October 2023.