Neymar returned to the pitch nearly 40 days after his latest injury, only to suffer another setback as Santos were eliminated from the Copa do Brasil by CRB—a second-division side—in the third round. With the club now locked in a relegation battle, Neymar delivered a brief but telling four-word message about his future.
After a 1–1 draw in the first game, Santos played the replay of the Copa do Brasil tie on Thursday. With the score still 0–0, Neymar came on in the 66th minute and quickly became one of the most dangerous players on the pitch—though he was unable to find the net.
In the penalty shootout, Neymar converted the first attempt for Santos, but two teammates missed their kicks, sending the club out of the tournament in yet another disappointing result. After the match, Neymar spoke to Prime Video and was asked about a potential contract renewal. His answer was short and direct:
“I don’t know yet,” Neymar stated. Neymar’s current contract runs through June 2025, with an option to extend for one additional year. But with Santos in crisis, the star forward admitted the situation is far from ideal:
“There’s nothing to say, the situation is very bad. It’s up to us to change it. I know that with me on the field, things are different. In 20 or 25 minutes, you could see that I can make a difference, help out. It was my first game back, and you can’t rely only on me. We all have to do our part to get out of this situation.”
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What’s next for Neymar?
Neymar’s future is now one of the biggest question marks at Santos. With only three league games remaining before the break for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup—and his contract set to expire at that point—renewal talks have become increasingly uncertain.
According to Brazilian outlet UOL, the club had been optimistic about extending Neymar’s contract and had even been preparing to announce it in the coming days. However, following the disappointing loss to CRB, that optimism appears to have faded.
Santos return to action on Sunday with an away match against Vitoria, where Neymar is expected to start. With the club now focused solely on avoiding relegation, and his future hanging in the balance, all eyes will be on Neymar as transfer rumors begin to swirl once again.
