Performance comes after the player chose to play through injury to help his boyhood club stay up
Neymar hit a hat-trick on Wednesday to secure a 3-0 win over Juventude and drag Santos out of the relegation zone.
All three goals arrived within 17 minutes of the second half in a tense contest. First Neymar finished off a counter attack in the 56th minute and then he met Igor Vinicius’ cross to double the lead nine minutes later.
The hat trick was then completed from the penalty spot in the 73rd minute before Neymar was withdrawn late on to a standing ovation.
It was the 33-year-old’s first hat trick since April 2022, when he scored three for Paris Saint-Germain in a 6-1 win against Clermont.
The backdrop of the performance is even more interesting. Neymar had been warned by doctors that he needs surgery due to an injury in his left knee, but the player chose to play through the pain so that he can help Santos fight relegation.
The result on Wednesday leaves Santos two points clear of the relegation zone with one game remaining. A win at home to Cruzeiro next weekend would guarantee survival.
A draw should also be enough to secure survival, while they can still stay up with defeat, since rivals Vitoria, Fortaleza and Ceara are also facing difficult fixtures elsewhere. Juventude had already been relegated before kick-off.
Neymar returned to Santos in January after injuries plagued his time at PSG and Al-Hilal.
Why Neymar’s Career Will Be Remembered as Football’s Biggest “What If” Story
Who was the player described by his Santos coach as “similar” but “a bit more special” than Lionel Messi? It was Neymar Junior of course.
