Neymar fires subtle shot at teammates as Santos future remains uncertain

The past few months haven’t been happy ones for Neymar at Santos. His return to Brazil after 12 years sparked enormous expectations, and he impressed early in his comeback. But recurring injuries have kept him off the pitch and hurt the team’s form. With his contract nearing its expiration, the forward made a controversial remark about his teammates that drew attention.

After being sidelined for over a month with a muscle injury suffered in mid-April, Ney made his return to official action this week in a match against second-division side Clube Regatas Brasil, during the third round of the Copa do Brasil. The 33-year-old superstar came on in the second half and played 28 minutes in a match that ended in a draw and a penalty shootout elimination for Santos.

“I know that when I’m on the field, things are different. In 20 or 25 minutes I can make a difference. I know I can help my teammates,” he told Prime Video Sport Brasil—before turning his comments toward the rest of the squad.

“It’s my first match back after a long time, but it can’t all depend on me,” Neymar added, expressing frustration about the team’s performance. “Everyone knows the situation we’re in. We need every player.”

Neymar Jr is struggling during his second stint with Santos

Santos’ struggles continue

When Neymar spoke about the team’s situation, he was referring to Santos’ poor form throughout the year. The club was eliminated in the semifinals of the Campeonato Paulista after a heavy defeat to Corinthians—a match Ney missed due to injury.

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Things are even worse in the Brazilian league. After nine matches, Santos sit second-to-last in the standings with just five points, the result of one win, two draws, and six losses. They are currently in the relegation zone and will need a major turnaround to avoid serious trouble later in the season.

The situation worsened this week with their Copa do Brasil elimination at the hands of a second-division team, leaving Santos with no other competitions to focus on but the league—and more than half a season still to play. Against that backdrop, Neymar’s comments—implying criticism of his teammates—have only added to the growing tension.

What’s next for Neymar?

When Neymar agreed to return to Santos in late January, he made the terms clear. “It’s a six-month contract that can be extended. It’s up to me to give 100%. There’s no point coming back just for the name. I came back to play, to be happy, to score goals, and to help Santos,” he said in his introductory press conference.

That deal is now nearing its end, and the outlook doesn’t appear optimistic. After this week’s penalty shootout loss to Clube Regatas Brasil, Ney was asked whether he had decided what comes next in July. “I don’t know yet, I don’t know,” he replied.