Neymar shushes critics after first goals in return

Santos, Brazil — Neymar responded to months of doubt in the only language he knows best, burying two goals to propel Santos past Vasco da Gama 2-1 on Thursday night and, in the process, ending a goalless run that stretched back to December 2025.

The 34-year-old forward, making just his third competitive appearance of an injury-interrupted 2026 campaign, opened the scoring in the 25th minute at Estádio Urbano Caldeira. After wheeling toward the corner flag, he performed the same samba-inspired dance Vinícius Júnior unveiled against Benfica in the Champions League playoff, a nod of solidarity after the Real Madrid winger endured racist abuse in Portugal earlier this month.

“I told him, ‘If I score, I’ll do the same,’” Neymar explained to SporTV. “Vini, it’s for you.”

Vasco equalized before the interval, but Neymar struck again after the break to secure a vital fourth-round Brasileirão victory for the Peixe and remind Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti of his enduring quality. Ancelotti has maintained that a fit Neymar will be in the conversation for the upcoming men’s World Cup, and the striker’s first brace since surgery in early 2026 could hardly have been timed better.

“Last week they said I was the worst player in the world,” Neymar said. “Today I scored two goals, and that’s what matters. One day you’re ‘retired’; the next, people want you at the World Cup.”

The night was not without flashpoints. A second-half clash with Vasco midfielder Thiago Mendes—whose 2020 tackle left Neymar with a serious injury during their PSG-Lyon days—reignited old tensions.

“He always wants to cause trouble,” Neymar said. “He already broke me once at PSG, and he threatened me again today. It’s always the same with him.”

Despite cramping in the dying minutes, Neymar completed his second full 90-minute outing of the year, underlining the progress of a rehabilitation process that has limited him to sparse minutes since his December brace against Juventude.

For now, Santos climbs the table buoyed by their returning star, while Neymar turns his focus to consistency and fitness, eager to let his football answer the critics who had written him off.