SAO PAULO: Neymar on Tuesday extended his contract with Brazilian club Santos until the end of 2025, as he attempts to recapture his form in time for next year’s World Cup.

“I made a decision and I followed my heart. Santos is not just my team, it’s my home, my roots, my history, and my life,” the 33-year-old forward said in a statement from the club.

Neymar started his career at Santos before moving to Barcelona and then Paris St-Germain. After an injury-hit spell in Saudi Arabia, he returned to Santos in January on a contract that was due to expire on June 30.

The injury problems that restricted him to just seven matches in 17 months at Al-Hilal persisted.

He has played 12 matches in five months across all competitions for Santos, scoring three goals. In his last appearance in the domestic league, he was sent off for a second yellow card after scoring with his hand against Botafogo.

Published in Dawn, June 26th, 2025