Neymar is preparing to return to football after a disappointing World Cup. Despite hinting at a farewell to international football, the Brazilian superstar will continue playing club football. To begin that process, the Seleção’s poster boy has finally broken his silence and returned to training at the traditional Rei Pelé training center in Santos.
Before stepping onto the field, Neymar spent his first day sweating it out in the gym and undergoing fitness tests in the physiology lab. For Santos, who are teetering on the brink of relegation in the Brazilian Championship, the return of their “prince” now feels like a welcome relief.
Santos returned to training after a 2-1 defeat to Botafogo in the Brazilian Championship. Santos had equalized against Botafogo through a goal from Álvaro Barreal, but conceded a late goal in stoppage time, leaving the team on the brink of the relegation zone.
Despite Santos’ disappointing result, the main attraction of the training session was Neymar’s presence. The Brazilian No. 10 did not take to the field today, but instead trained indoors in the gym and underwent several physical tests.
Neymar played his last match for Santos on May 17, against Coritiba at the Neo Química Arena, a game his team lost 3-0. He was called up to the Brazil national team the day after that match.
Doing the math, Neymar — who has a contract with Santos through the end of the current season — has not played for his club in exactly two months. In that time, he played two matches at his fourth World Cup for Brazil, scoring one goal from a penalty. Though absent from the field in his club’s colors, the forward, who has scored 80 goals for the Seleção, still holds the record as Brazil’s all-time top scorer.
Following his physical tests, the star is expected to feature in Santos’ 20th-round Brazilian Championship match against Chapecoense at Vila Belmiro Stadium on July 25.
However, Neymar will not feature in the match against Universidad Central on Wednesday. The first leg of the Copa Sudamericana play-off will be held in Venezuela, with the venue changed following the powerful earthquake that struck the country last month. The two teams will then meet again in the second leg on July 28 at Vila Belmiro.
