Neymar has agreed to extend his contract with Santos until the end of 2026, the Brazilian club announced on Tuesday, as the forward continues his bid to return to the national team ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
The 33-year-old returned to his boyhood club in January 2025 and played a decisive role in helping Santos avoid relegation from Brazil’s top flight.
Despite ongoing injury struggles, Neymar made a strong impact last season, scoring five goals in Santos’ final five matches while playing through pain.
He later underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to repair a damaged meniscus, a procedure aimed at improving his chances of regaining full fitness.
“Santos is my place, I’m at home,” Neymar said in a video shared on the club’s social media channels. “It’s with you that I want to achieve the dreams that are still missing,” he added, addressing the fans.
The former Barcelona and Paris St Germain star has not represented Brazil since 2023, having spent 12 months sidelined after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament in October that year.
Although he was close to a return following a 17-month absence, a subsequent muscle injury forced him out of the squad. Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said in October that Neymar, the country’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, must be fully fit to earn a recall.
Brazil will face Scotland, Morocco and Haiti in Group C of the World Cup, which runs from 11 June to 19 July across Canada, Mexico and the United States.