Santos forward Neymar left the pitch in tears after suffering a leg injury just 34 minutes into his first start of the Brazilian Serie A season.
The 33-year-old, recently recovered from a thigh issue that sidelined him for six weeks, was back in the starting lineup against Atletico-MG on Wednesday, following his return as a substitute against Fluminense on Sunday.
Wearing a special number 100 jersey to mark his 100th appearance at Santos’ iconic Vila Belmiro stadium, Neymar appeared emotional as he signaled to the bench shortly after Alvaro Barreal scored to put Santos 2-0 up.
He then sat on the field clutching his left thigh — the same area previously injured — and was assisted off the field on a medical buggy.
Neymar was comforted by teammates and Atletico-MG forward Hulk, a former Brazil colleague, as concern grew over the severity of his condition.
“It’s too early for a definitive diagnosis,” said Santos coach Cesar Sampaio. “We can only hope it’s not a serious setback.”
Since returning from Saudi club Al-Hilal, Neymar has made eight appearances for Santos, netting three goals. Brazil’s all-time top scorer, he hasn’t featured for the national team since tearing his ACL in October 2023.
He was recently named in the squad for World Cup qualifiers but had to withdraw due to injury.
