Neymar to Undergo Knee Surgery After Heroic Push to Save Santos — and Possibly His World Cup Dream

Neymar is preparing for knee surgery after dragging himself through the final stretch of Santos’ turbulent season, playing through persistent pain to steer his childhood club away from relegation. The 33-year-old completed the full 90 minutes in a decisive 3–0 win against Cruzeiro on Sunday, sealing Santos’ survival and buying himself precious time in his fight for a place at the 2026 World Cup.

His return to Brazil last January followed an injury-plagued stint with Al Hilal, during which he made just seven appearances in 18 months. Yet in the closing weeks of the Série A campaign, Neymar rediscovered his influence, scoring five goals in Santos’ last four matches — his most productive run since 2021. “I came back to help,” he said, acknowledging that only the support staff around him kept him on the pitch despite a worsening knee condition.

Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, with 79 goals in 128 caps, has not featured for the Seleção since suffering a serious ligament injury against Uruguay in October 2023. When asked recently about Neymar’s chances of returning, national team coach Carlo Ancelotti stressed that only fully fit, in-form players would make the squad for next summer’s World Cup.

Just two weeks ago, Neymar appeared far from contention. His rhythm was lacking, his fitness fragile, and frustration had seeped into his performances as Santos sank deeper into relegation danger. But football can change stories quickly — and for Neymar, the last ten days have rewritten his 2025 narrative.

Sanctioned heavily to protect his knee, he still delivered three wins in a row: a goal and assist against Sport, a hat-trick away to Juventude, and a commanding display in the crucial victory over Cruzeiro. Critics note that the opposition was limited — two relegated clubs and one fielding reserves due to cup commitments — but Neymar’s timing and leadership were undeniable.

Had Santos been relegated, Neymar’s World Cup prospects would have evaporated. Playing in the second tier would have made selection nearly impossible, and his options elsewhere would have narrowed. Instead, his contract, expiring at the end of the month, is now likely to be extended for a short spell, or replaced by another top-flight Brazilian offer.

With the 2025 Série A season starting unusually early in January, and his surgery described as a “minor procedure”, Neymar has a realistic pathway to reach full sharpness by late spring. As Ancelotti noted: “It’s December. The World Cup is in June. There is still time.”

Neymar has saved Santos. Whether he has saved his World Cup dream depends entirely on what he does next.

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