Alex McCurthy
Neymar made an emotional return to play for Paris Saint-Germain after a year-long injury in Tuesday’s high-scoring 6-2 AFC Champions League clash against Perth Glory.
When he emerged onto the pitch, the crowd exploded into a roar. The wait had been almost too long-such was Neymar Jr’s massive absence, 369 days since he last played after a truly gut-wrenching ACL tear. And what a dramatic return for Neymar, newly signed by Al-Hilal for their AFC Champions League tie against Al-Ain.
Neymar’s move to Saudi Arabia in August 2023 was completely shocking, but his first season here has ended in tragedy. But the injury that he picked up during an international match with Brazil against Uruguay was threatening to darken the skylines of what could have been. Still, at 32, the star worked his way through rehab after a long battle, and his will to return burned bright.
The wait was finally over. Substituted into the fray in the 77th minute, Neymar lost no time and soon proved his trademark flair was still in play. A nice exchange with former Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic opened up a scoring opportunity as his shot sailed just wide. There was enough positivity surrounding his inclusion to keep things electric on the pitch.
Game was a rollercoaster. Al Hilal took the lead through Renan Lodi, but Al-Ain’s Soufiane Rahimi equalized just minutes later. Then, almost at the end of stoppage time, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Salem Al-Dawsari saw Al Hilal take the lead 3-1 at halftime.
The second half was equally thrilling as Al-Dawsari completed his hat-trick, and before he knew it, Al Hilal were reduced to ten men following the red card received by Ali Al Bulayhi. That twist of fate and what had followed from it has clearly opened the door to Al-Ain’s dramatic comeback when Rahimi himself mirrored Al-Dawsari’s feat in stoppage time.
Despite the late scare, Al Hilal held on for a thrilling 5-4 victory to ensure they topped the standings. But for Neymar, the result was secondary. Pure joy of being back on the pitch after such an awful absence is nothing short of palpable. “I feel good,” he declared afterwards, his voice heavy with emotion. “I always have a good team. I’m so happy. I’m back! I’m back!”
The news of Neymar’s back send shockwaves even beyond the ground. Santos, his former club, overwhelmed social media with birthday wishes to him. “More than 12 months away from the field,” their message read, “with an immeasurable longing to return to doing what he loves so much.” Hailing him not as a star or a genius but as the player who embodies the joy of football. The hearty voice of a million others echoed the sentiment: thousands of fans in his motherland, Brazil, proclaim him the greatest of recent generation.
The returning competitive footballer to the pitch for him becomes a private triumph but also a moment of joy for the fans world over. His talent and passion are not in question, and his return promises to inject excitement once more into the beautiful game.
