Neymar broke his goal drought, which had lasted since the beginning of 2026, in spectacular fashion on Friday morning, leading Santos to a 2-1 victory over Vasco da Gama in the fourth round of the Brazilian league.
Neymar underwent surgery at the start of 2026 and only recently returned to the pitch in a Santos shirt. Brazil’s national team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, has repeatedly stated that Neymar will be an option for the World Cup squad if he is medically fit.
Neymar said: “Last week they said I was the worst player in the world, and today I scored two goals, and that’s what matters. That’s football; one day you’re not good or ‘retired,’ and the next day people say you should go to the World Cup.”
He added: “I’m dedicating myself and working hard to get into the best possible physical condition. This was my third match this year and only the second time I’ve completed 90 minutes. I felt some muscle cramps at the end, but that’s part of the recovery process.”
After scoring the opening goal in the 25th minute, the Santos number 10 celebrated by running towards the corner flag and performing the same dance Vinicius Junior did after scoring in Real Madrid’s two Champions League knockout matches against Benfica.
Gol do Santos! Neymar abre o placar contra o Vasco, marca seu primeiro gol em 2026 e provoca a torcida vascaína ao pedir silêncio. Na sequência, ainda homenageia Vinícius Júnior com dança na bandeirinha.#futebol #santos #vasco #brasileirão #ge pic.twitter.com/m25ZRtmUBo
— ge (@geglobo) February 26, 2026
Neymar explained: “This little dance was for Vinicius Junior. I told him when he scored his first goal in Portugal and faced insults, racism, and all that, ‘When you score a goal, do the same celebration, and if I score, I’ll do the same. Vinicius, this is for you.'”
This brace marked Neymar’s first goals since December 2025, when he capped off the previous year with two goals against Juventude.
