Video: Neymar scores classy goal for Santos in crucial Serie A win over Flamengo

On Wednesday night, Santos earned a key 1–0 victory over Flamengo that improves their position in Brazil’s Serie A. The lone goal of the match came from Neymar Junior late in the second half, just minutes before the final whistle.

For Santos, this was a crucial match given their difficult position in the league. After earning promotion to the top division at the end of 2024, they got off to a poor start in the tournament, and after the first 12 rounds, they found themselves in the relegation zone.

With just 3 wins, 2 draws, and 7 losses, Santos had only 11 points and were among the bottom four in the standings—a very concerning spot, even with a long road still ahead in the season. To make matters worse, they were facing Flamengo, who came into the match as co-leaders of the league with 27 points, alongside Cruzeiro.

However, Ney and his teammates put in a strong effort to close the gap between the two sides and delivered a solid performance at home. They managed to neutralize Flamengo’s main strengths and avoided major problems defensively. In fact, during the first half, Santos came closest to opening the scoring with a shot from Deivid Washington that narrowly missed the target.

Neymar delivers the win for Santos

Wednesday’s match marked Neymar’s return to the pitch after a lengthy absence. Following a muscle injury that kept him out of several early-season league matches as well as the most recent Brazil national team call-ups, the forward had only seen limited minutes in two matches between May and June, before the pause in Brazil’s Serie A due to the FIFA Club World Cup.

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Against Flamengo, Ney looked fully recovered physically—so much so that he started the match and stayed on the field for the full 90 minutes. And not only that: in the closing minutes, he still had enough energy to make the difference.

In the 83rd minute, he received the ball inside the box, turned, dribbled past a defender, and when he found just enough space, scored the winning goal with a right-footed shot.

Neymar’s numbers with Santos

Injuries have been a recurring issue throughout Neymar’s career, and his second stint with Santos has been no exception. That’s why he’s only played 13 matches for the club this year across Serie A, the Campeonato Paulista, and the Copa do Brasil. Wednesday’s goal was just his fourth. He has also recorded three assists and one red card.

When will Neymar play next?

Following the break for the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, Brazil’s Serie A resumes with a demanding schedule. After Wednesday’s 1–0 win over Flamengo, Santos will have just three days of rest before facing Mirassol on the road this Saturday. Then, next Wednesday, they’ll return to Estadio Urbano Caldeira to host Internacional.