Neymar Jr. returned to his hometown team on January 30, 2025, after nearly 12 years of leaving the club and to play for FC Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Al-Hilal.

Last night, Santos faced Corinthians in the Paulistão semifinals in a 2-1 defeat. It was the first time since 2019 that all four of the biggest teams of the state (Corinthians, Santos, São Paulo, and Palmeiras) played in the state’s semifinals together.

Why Neymar Didn’t Play Against Corinthians

Neymar sat on the bench throughout the game, missing the Clássico Alvinegro semifinal match due to a discomfort in his left thigh.

The injury does not seem serious at the moment. The Brazilian star spent the week treating the discomfort, and Santos coach Pedro Caixinha decided to keep him on the bench to avoid further damage.

As Neymar was called up for the World Cup qualifiers last week, speculations arose that Caixinha chose to keep him on the bench to “spare” him for the upcoming matches, which the coach quickly denied.

“The only thing that was considered was his discomfort. I think about Santos and not about the Brazilian national team,” Caixinha said.

Will Neymar Play for Brazil?

Neymar last played for Brazil in October 2023, during a World Cup qualifier match against Uruguay, where he suffered an ACL injury. Brazil will play against Colombia on March 20 and against Argentina on March 25.

Last week, the Brazilian national team revealed the list of called-up players for those matches, with Neymar included as one of six midfielders. After a lengthy absence, Brazil coach Dorival Júnior has expressed confidence in Neymar’s return to the team.

Santos confirmed that Neymar did not suffer a serious injury and stayed on the bench to avoid any further discomfort, making it highly likely that Neymar will remain on the squad list for Brazil’s upcoming matches against Colombia and Argentina.