Neymar returns for Santos, endures scare, less than four months before World Cup | OneFootball

Neymar returned for Santos overnight from Sunday to Monday after surgery on his left knee in December. He came on at half-time in a 6-0 win and suffered a heavy late tackle but finished the match.

L'Équipe reports that it was his first appearance of the Brazilian season, which began in early January. Brazil's record scorer, with 128 caps and 79 goals, played 45 minutes and supplied an assist against Velo Clube.

The challenge caught him on the ankle, leaving him on the turf screaming in pain for a spell, before he rose and saw out the game.

The former Barcelona, PSG and Al-Hilal forward suffered a fresh knee injury in early December. It was a blow for the 34-year-old and for Santos, for whom he had been pivotal in securing top-flight survival last season.

His return comes with a little under four months until the World Cup, staged from 11 June to 19 July in the United States, Canada and Mexico. He has not been called up since 18 October, a 0-2 qualifying defeat to Uruguay in which he departed injured.

At 34, he has extended his contract with his boyhood club until the end of 2026, and he hopes to play what could be his final World Cup this summer.

Source: L'Équipe