“I Need To Rest” – Neymar Confirms Knee Surgery After Saving Santos

Santos superstar Neymar says he will undergo surgery on his left knee after playing a decisive role in the club’s dramatic escape from relegation on the final day of the Brazilian Serie A season. His admission came just moments after a commanding 3-0 win over Cruzeiro secured the team’s top-flight status.

For a club that carries the legacy of Pelé, the stakes could hardly have been higher. Santos had already tasted relegation for the first time in its 111-year history in 2023, a fall that followed months after Pelé’s passing. A second drop in consecutive seasons would have been unthinkable, and Neymar’s late-season surge may have prevented a football crisis.

Neymar’s return to Santos in January was framed as a homecoming, but it quickly turned into a rescue mission. The 33-year-old had spent the past year struggling to recover from a torn ACL suffered during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023. Those setbacks limited him to 19 league appearances, yet his impact was undeniable.

In the final stretch, Neymar rediscovered his influence. He scored in a 3-0 win over Sport Recife, delivered a hat trick in another 3-0 victory against Juventude, and on Sunday shifted into playmaker mode as Santos finished 12th with 47 points. Thaciano scored twice in the 26th and 28th minutes, and João Schmidt added a third just after the hour mark, sealing survival in front of a relieved Vila Belmiro crowd.

Speaking after the match, Neymar acknowledged both his physical limits and emotional strain. The veteran forward admitted these weeks had pushed him to the edge. He said he relied heavily on the people around him to stay on the pitch while battling persistent knee issues. According to him, surgery is no longer optional. It is necessary.

Neymar did not clarify the specific injury nor the timeline for recovery. What he did make clear is his burning desire to reach the 2026 World Cup. The forward has yet to be called up by Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti, who took charge in May, but Ancelotti has previously said Neymar will be selected if he is fully fit. That caveat now looms large.

The situation raises a set of pressing questions. Can Neymar recover from another major knee procedure at 33? What will this mean for his role in Brazil’s long-term planning under Ancelotti? And how will Santos cope without him during the early months of next season?

Santos will celebrate survival for now, especially with Flamengo already crowned champions after beating Ceara earlier in the week and lifting the Copa Libertadores last month. But all eyes will turn back to Neymar soon enough. His surgery and recovery could shape both his club’s trajectory and Brazil’s hopes heading toward 2026.

For the first time in months, Neymar’s future feels both uncertain and essential. The next chapter starts in an operating room, not on the pitch.