Neymar is set to undergo knee surgery after pushing through injury to help Santos secure their top-flight survival with a 3-0 victory over Cruzeiro on Sunday — a development that casts further uncertainty over his prospects of featuring at the 2026 World Cup.
The 33-year-old returned to boyhood club Santos in January following a spell in Saudi Arabia, and despite limited appearances, played a decisive role in the club’s late-season resurgence, scoring five goals in his final four matches.
“I came here for this — to help in any way I could. These last few weeks have been very tough for me,” Neymar said, having featured in only 20 of Santos’ 38 league fixtures this season.
“I’m grateful to everyone who supported me. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to play because of the injuries and this knee problem. I need rest now, and then we’ll move forward with surgery.”
Neymar did not disclose details of the procedure or offer a recovery timeline.
The forward has not represented Brazil in two years, having been sidelined repeatedly by injury setbacks.
In October, head coach Carlo Ancelotti stated that Neymar must prove his fitness if he is to return to the national squad ahead of the World Cup, which takes place from 11 June to 19 July across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The surgery now leaves his tournament hopes — and his international future — hanging in the balance.
