The Brazilian Serie B team had to quickly calm the mood and reveal the truth: their website had been hacked and they were not going to sign the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. The message on the website claimed that Neymar had agreed to join the club at the end of his contract with Al-Hilal this summer and that he aimed to return to the elite of Brazilian football.
Neymar did not agree to sign with Coritiba, and shortly after the false message was published on the club’s website, the club’s IT team had the site shut down and put back under control, and the message was deleted. Neymar has been linked with a return to Brazil after his contract with the Saudi club expired, although it is more likely he will join his boyhood club Santos. The Brazilian’s time in Riyadh was a disaster, with injuries severely limiting his playing time, but he has recently made a comeback and has time to turn things around.
A blow to Haaland
Coritiba is not the first club to suffer from a hacking incident. In May 2024, Fluminense announced on their website that they had signed Norwegian superstar from Manchester City Erling Haaland after “intense negotiations and a great effort from our management”. Although to the disappointment of Brazilian fans, it was just another hacker.
Neymar would have given the “ green light » on a return to Brazil via Santos and could look to leave Saudi Arabia as early as this month. The Brazilian’s contract with Al-Hilal runs until the summer of this year, but he could choose to forgo that income in favor of an early return to his boyhood club. The prospect of playing for Santos again and preparing for the World Cup might prove too tempting.
