Hands to the sky, a furious point, and a smile from ear to ear. It's an understatement to say that Neymar experienced his goal last night against Flamengo as a liberation. For Santos ' return to action , after the league was suspended for almost a month, the Brazilian star was in the starting lineup at kickoff. And above all, he shone in a way that hadn't been the case for a while. Very active, always available, Neymar knew how to respond to the physical challenge imposed by the league leaders, incidentally the only team to have beaten Chelsea at the Club World Cup. At the end of the match, the former PSG player made the decision when he was found at the penalty spot by Guillherme, before eliminating Léo Pereira then Varela, and scoring (1-0).
A brilliant goal rewarded a solid performance, and played in full by the player concerned for the first time since February. The general feeling in Brazil was very positive after the match, although only the laws of the pitch will confirm this impression of renewal. TNT Sports Brasil writes: "When you expect the best from Neymar, he appears... He decided the fate of this great match at the Brasileirão Betano! And now, who will stop him? Flamengo were his first victims." UOL adds: "Santos took advantage of Neymar's talent to win 1-0 against Flamengo tonight in the Championship. The number 10 did everything: create space, shoot, dribble, and he scored the only goal of the match."
He made everyone agree
Filipe Luis, a former opponent of Neymar when he played for Atlético de Madrid, now Flamengo coach, also praised the Brazilian phenomenon: "He's an extraordinary player. Today, I saw Neymar at the physical level of Serie A. We saw him respond in duels, in his repositioning, his pressing... Everything he wasn't doing before the break. When he's healthy, the difference is there. He shows that he's always capable of pulling off a dangerous and effective play or sending a teammate alone in front of goal. We try to be vigilant against a player like that, but he's so decisive that he always eliminates the defender who comes his way."
GOLAÇO DE NEYMAR! 🫲🤪🫱
— ge (@geglobo) July 17, 2025
Neymar desencanta no Brasileirão! Gabriel Bontempo abre na esquerda para Guilherme, que encontra Neymar na área. O camisa 10 se livra de Léo Pereira, de Varela e bate cruzado para vencer Rossi!#neymar #santos #flamengo #brasileirão #campeonatobrasileiro… pic.twitter.com/goVZ7ajL35
Famous Brazilian pundit Ricardinho has assured that Santos will play in the Copa Libertadores if Neymar plays 70% of the matches, even at 40% of his best level. Leo Pereira, who was put off by the Brazilian on goal, was unhappy about being left out: "He's Neymar, isn't he? You always have to mark him differently. We knew he could turn the game around, and as I said, it was a mistake on our part to leave him too much. A player as different as him can't have so much freedom." Santos coach Cleber Xavier especially highlighted his player's state of mind: "He has such a strong sense of dedication, he's an example for all of us." The challenge now will be to avoid another relapse and find the continuity needed to achieve his latest dream: to play in the 2026 World Cup.
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