‘I’m Back!’: Neymar celebrates emotional return for Al Hilal after year-long injury
Xtra Time Web Desk: Neymar made an emotional return to the pitch on October 21, after more than a year out due to an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. The Brazilian star came on as a substitute for Al Hilal in their AFC Champions League Elite clash against Al Ain. Neymar entered the match in the 77th minute, replacing Nasser Al Dawsari shortly after Salem Al Dawsari scored to give Al Hilal a 5-3 lead.
Despite missing a chance to score, Neymar made his presence felt by linking up well with Aleksandar Mitrovic, nearly finding the net with a shot that narrowly missed the post. Al Hilal secured a 5-4 win after Al Ain converted a late penalty, and Neymar's comeback was celebrated by fans and teammates alike.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="pt" dir="ltr">Feliz de estar sentindo este sentimento novamente, friozinho na barriga pré jogo é sempre muito bom .. que seja um retorno cheio de saúde! <br>Que Deus nos abençoe e nos proteja ???????? <a href="https://t.co/xADLA6mVlC">pic.twitter.com/xADLA6mVlC</a></p>— Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) <a href="https://twitter.com/neymarjr/status/1848363410343305557?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Neymar had been sidelined since November 2023, when he suffered the ACL injury during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay, just months after joining Al Hilal from Paris Saint-Germain in a €90 million deal. The Brazilian had only made five appearances for his new club before the injury, which required surgery and a lengthy recovery period.
Following the match, Neymar expressed his joy and relief at returning to action. "I feel good... I always have a good team. I'm so happy. I'm back! I'm back!" he said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">????️????????<br>This is <a href="https://twitter.com/neymarjr?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@neymarjr</a> !!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/neymar?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#neymar</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/neymarjr?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#neymarjr</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NeyDay?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NeyDay</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/alhilal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#alhilal</a> <a href="https://t.co/tP9eWsyWag">pic.twitter.com/tP9eWsyWag</a></p>— Neymar Jr Site (@NeymarJrSite) <a href="https://twitter.com/NeymarJrSite/status/1848467241098219573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Brazil’s Football Confederation (CBF) also welcomed Neymar's return, hailing him as a symbol of Brazilian football magic. They issued a statement celebrating his comeback and congratulating him as one of the greatest players in football history. The CBF is hopeful Neymar will be ready to represent Brazil in the upcoming South American World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Uruguay in November.
