Neymar’s Struggles and Commitment to Santos Amid Injury Challenges

Neymar, at 33 years old, is facing ongoing struggles with injuries that have led him to question the toll it takes on his body and mind. Despite these challenges, he is determined to continue playing, aiming to help Santos evade relegation in 2025 and holding onto the aspiration of representing Brazil at the 2026 World Cup.

Recently, Neymar underwent further surgery on a troublesome knee, but he is currently engaged in a rehabilitation program, putting any thoughts of retirement on hold for the time being.

In a discussion about the premature public announcement of Neymar’s surgery, his father revealed on the Rafa Tecla T YouTube channel that they had been closely monitoring Neymar’s condition and trying to protect him. However, Neymar’s competitive nature drives him to push through pain, making it difficult to rein him in during matches. His father remarked, “You can’t make him hold back. Next thing you know, he’s tracking back, asking for the ball all the time. He’s extremely competitive. How do you control that? By keeping him off the field — that’s the only way.”

Neymar Sr. also addressed the mental strain that Neymar’s fitness struggles inflict on him: “You only put him in when you truly have peace of mind. Just like now. He had a meniscus injury. The press leaked it before we even talked to him, and his head just went to zero. For a moment, I couldn’t save my son’s mental state. It hits him hard — people saying Neymar won’t play again this year. His mind just collapses.”

Neymar’s father recalled a poignant moment when Neymar considered giving up, saying, “When I get home, I go to my son’s place and ask: ‘Son, what’s up? How are you?’ He looks at me and says: ‘I can’t take it anymore, man. Let’s do the surgery. Dad… I don’t even know if it’s worth operating. For me, that’s it.’” In response, his father encouraged him to proceed with the surgery, emphasizing the importance of focusing on recovery.

Acknowledging the looming 2026 World Cup, Neymar Sr. motivated his son, stating: “There’s a narrative out there. A few very noisy people — not many, but extremely loud — who want to make you give up. If we give up… there’s very little left, man. Six months. After June, July, I don’t know if we’ll win or not. But I’ll go with you. Then I think we’ve fulfilled our mission, whether we’re champions or not. But you have to be in it. You can’t accept what those noisy people are doing. You can’t listen to what’s coming from the outside.”

Motivated by this encouragement, Neymar expressed his commitment to Santos, messaging his father the following morning: “I’m going to train. I’ll see if I can handle it.” He managed to train despite some pain, and his father advised him to take it easy, focusing on mobility rather than exertion.

Despite speculations regarding a potential move to Inter Miami to reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, reports indicate that Neymar is poised to extend his contract with Santos for another season, potentially leading into the 2026 World Cup.