Neymar Jr Breaks Into Tears After Saving Santos From Relegation On Final Matchday | WATCH

Last Updated:December 08, 2025, 07:31 IST

Neymar Jr, battling a torn meniscus, led Santos to safety in a 3-0 win vs Cruzeiro, securing a 13th-place finish and only then revealed his need for surgery over the off-season.

Neymar fell to his knees in elation after helping Santos stay alive and avoid relegation (X)

Nobody could have scripted a more dramatic escape act from Neymar Jr.

Playing through a torn meniscus and carrying a club desperate to avoid a second relegation in its 112-year history, the Brazilian star dragged Santos over the line.

Santos entered the final matchday flirting with disaster, but a 3–0 win over Cruzeiro sealed their survival.

Only then did Neymar admit what he’d been hiding: he’d been playing hurt, battling pain every match just to keep his boyhood club alive.

And still, he delivered.

Five goals and an assist in his last four games, eight goals across the 19 league matches he managed, and an emotional run that lifted Santos from the brink to a safe 13th-place finish.

“For weeks I could barely play," Neymar admitted. “If it weren’t for the people close to me, I wouldn’t have been able to get on the pitch. Now I need to rest—and then have surgery."

This wasn’t the plan. Neymar was still working his way back from the ACL tear he suffered in the 2023 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Santos, promoted last season after their historic 2023 relegation, were stumbling toward danger again.

So Neymar suited up — injured, patched together, but determined.

Now, his surgery timeline is unknown. His club future is unclear. His World Cup dream under Carlo Ancelotti still hangs in the balance.

But one thing is certain: Neymar returned to save the team that raised him — and did it on one good knee.

News sports football Neymar Jr Breaks Into Tears After Saving Santos From Relegation On Final Matchday | WATCH

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