"He got a meniscus injury, the press leaks it before we talk to him, and his head goes blank. It's so much to take in... I go to my son's house. 'So, how are you?' He turns to me and says, 'I can't take it anymore. Let's operate. Dad... I don't even know if it's worth operating. As for me, I've had enough.'"
"I said, 'Son, if you want to have surgery so we can focus on your recovery and you get well, I'm with you'."
"The next morning he started training, kicking left, right... Then he looked, shook his head, 'I think I can do it'. He went to the game and scored the goal. When he scored, he looked at me and said that he was going to the end."
Neymar sustained a left-knee ACL and meniscus tear in October 2023 during international duty and faced ongoing fitness issues. A meniscus problem prompted minor left-knee surgery on December 22 after a difficult period of pressure and doubt. He contemplated retirement but proceeded with surgery, returned to training, and scored in his comeback match. Since rejoining Santos in January 2025 he played half of Serie A games and scored eight league goals, including four late goals that helped the club avoid relegation. Recovery is expected before the 2026 Brazilian Serie A season, with talks to remain at Santos through the 2026 World Cup.
Read at ESPN.com
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