Neymar honoured by Santos as statue and bust unveiled at Memorial das Conquistas | OneFootball

Neymar has been honoured by Santos with a dedicated space at the Memorial das Conquistas. According to Diario Do Peixe, a statue and a bust were unveiled on Thursday, 30 July, alongside an autographed shirt that will remain on display.

Club greats Pepe, Clodoaldo, Edu, Manoel Maria, Negreiros, Abel and Lala attended, along with president Marcelo Teixeira, officials, guests and family.

An academy graduate, Neymar’s first spell yielded the Paulistão in 2010, 2011 and 2012, the 2010 Copa do Brasil, the 2011 Libertadores and the 2012 Recopa Sudamericana. He left in 2013 for Barcelona, later moving to Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Hilal, and returned last year.

He has 276 appearances and 158 goals for Santos, ranking ninth on the club’s scoring list. He is Brazil’s current record goalscorer, has played at four World Cups and has worn the No 10.

On social media he expressed surprise and pride at being recognised by his boyhood club, thanking God, his family and the fans. He described himself as a fan on the pitch who gives everything, accepted past mistakes and hopes to keep making supporters happy.

The tribute is intended as lasting recognition rather than a photo stop. Artist Renato Guedes sought to depict both the footballer and his influence on young players.

Source: Diario Do Peixe