The suspense had been putting on for several weeks. Will stay? Will leave? Rumors sent him on the side of Europe, MLS or even to an unexpected return to Barça. His entourage fueled confusion, between exotic tracks and calculated confidences. This Tuesday, the curtain fell: Neymar finally made his decision. And the official verdict resonates as a strong signal in the world football landscape.
The choice of heart: Neymar remains in Santos
Through a moving press release, the Santos FC confirmed the news: Neymar Jr extended the adventure with the club of its youth until the end of 2025.
“Eu vou, eu Volto, eu fico”, writes the player. “I am leaving, I come back, I stay. »» A sentence that has become slogan, symbol of a visceral attachment to its roots. The “Menino da Vila” does not flee the responsibilities. He assumes, remains, and intends to write a final chapter charged with meaning and symbols.
This extension is not a simple contract. It is a declaration of love, a fierce desire to finish what had been started well before PSG, Barcelona or Al-Hilal. At 33, Neymar does not flee the competition: he kisses it. He still dreams of the 2026 World Cup, and Santos will be his launch ramp. In 243 matches with the club (if we count the first passage) he scored 141 goals, served 69 assists, and conquered five major trophies. But the biggest may be to come.
Neymar remains in Brazil: Santos confirms the trend
A strong signal sent to Brazil … and to the world
Marcelo Teixeira, president of the club, welcomes a historic decision. For him, Neymar is not just a player, he is a landmark. A central figure in the sports and identity reconstruction of the PEIXE. His father, he evokes an “ideal” environment for his son to expresses his magic again. This extension is therefore not an end, but a new start.
In full possession of his means, Neymar wants to prove that he remains a major artist in the game. Not to compare himself to Messi or Ronaldo, but to reconcile with himself. The 2026 World Cup remains the ultimate summit, Santos will be the springboard. What if this return, this “fico”, was the final work of a genius in search of an absolute?
