Neymar Jr. made his long-awaited return to Santos FC on Wednesday night, playing a second-half cameo in the 1-1 draw against Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto in the Paulista Championship. With the 32-year-old superstar back in the fold, the Brazilian club is setting its sights on competing with the best in the country. To strengthen their squad further, Santos have also agreed to sign an Argentine player who has experience facing Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami in Major League Soccer.
Alvaro Barreal was officially introduced as Santos FC’s newest addition in a post shared by the club on social media. The 24-year-old winger joins on a one-year loan from Cruzeiro, where he spent the 2024 season, with an option for a permanent transfer.
Barreal began his professional career with Velez Sarsfield in Argentina in 2018. His impressive performances there led to a move to Major League Soccer, where he joined FC Cincinnati in 2020 for a reported $1.7 million transfer fee.
During his four years in the United States, Alvaro made a significant impact, totaling 118 appearances, scoring 19 goals, and providing 22 assists. One of his standout moments came in 2023 when he was nominated by FIFA for the prestigious Puskas Award for the best goal of the year. The nomination was for his spectacular strike against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in the U.S. Open Cup.
Álvaro Barreal #31 of FC Cincinnati controls the ball against Inter Miami CF during the second half at DRV PNK Stadium.
Barreal vs. Messi
Although Alvaro Barreal and Lionel Messi only faced each other in a limited number of encounters, their meetings were highly memorable. The two first clashed in the semifinals of the 2023 U.S. Open Cup in August, where the match ended 3-3 before Inter Miami advanced via penalty shootout.
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Their second and final encounter came two months later in Major League Soccer, when FC Cincinnati pulled off a 1-0 victory over Inter Miami at Chase Stadium. Barreal scored the decisive goal in the final minutes of the match, further cementing his place in the MLS spotlight.
Barreal joins Neymar at Santos FC
While Neymar made his official return to the club after 12 years on Wednesday, he was unable to inspire a victory over second-division Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto. Santos are now intent on making a serious push in Brazil, and the arrival of Alvaro Barreal could provide head coach Pedro Caixinha with additional options to support Ney in the attacking third.
In this context, Barreal’s signing could prove to be an invaluable asset, providing further depth to a squad eager to compete at the highest level and offering Neymar a talented partner to link up with on the field.
Neymar reflects on his return to Santos
After the match against Botafogo de Ribeirao Preto, Neymar Jr. shared his emotions about returning to Santos. “I’m happy, because I left here when I was 21 years old, traveled the world, and made history in every place I went. This is the recognition I have upon returning home,” he said.
Reflecting on his performance, the forward added: “I am very happy to play again. I need minutes, I need games; I’m not at 100%. But I think I played a good game today. I didn’t expect to run so much.” Neymar also clarified his match fitness: “I played 45 minutes today. Could I have played more? Yes. But I think you have to take it easy. There’s no need to rush. The next game, I’ll decide in the next few days.”
