Neymar has officially concluded his final World Cup campaign with Brazil, though he has yet to feature for Santos since their difficult Round of 16 exit against Norway. As the club enters the second half of its 2026 season, the 34-year-old superstar is scheduled to return to action this weekend, following his recent appearance in a high-stakes poker tournament in Sao Paulo.
Brazil’s tournament ended in North America after a 2-1 defeat to Erling Haaland’s Norway. Despite scoring a late penalty in stoppage time, the result was insufficient, signaling the end of his storied international career, a fact the forward confirmed emotionally after the match.
After being granted recovery time following the elimination, Neymar spent several days vacationing in the United States while Santos continued their campaign. The team captain was absent from the Serie A match against Botafogo on July 16, as well as Tuesday’s Copa Sudamericana fixture in Venezuela, where Santos secured an impressive 4-1 win over Universidad Central.
While his teammates traveled to Venezuela, Neymar was in Brazil competing in the BSOP Winter tournament, the fourth leg of the 2026 Brazilian Poker Championship. Held at the WTC Sheraton’s Golden Hall in Sao Paulo, the event saw the forward compete in the high-stakes R$ 25,000 ($4,933) buy-in category.
Neymar rejoined squad training at the Rei Pele facility last Friday, though the coaching staff chose not to include him in the traveling squad for the Sudamericana match. He participated in regular training on Tuesday morning before attending the poker tournament that evening—an event where he previously finished 29th out of 346 entries in 2025.
Neymar Set for Weekend Return
With his contract running through December 2026, the objective is for Neymar to complete his tenure with The Fish before deciding on his future career path. Following his post-World Cup break, the forward is prepared to make his comeback in Santos’ upcoming domestic match.
Santos manager Cuca addressed questions regarding Neymar’s absence from Tuesday’s continental fixture during his pre-match press conference: “Since he had not had a vacation, we decided to keep him here to build strength and train intensely so he can handle a consecutive run of matches. We have four games over the next ten days. There was no benefit in bringing him along to a difficult trip; he is back here working and training well.”
Santos will host Chapecoense at Vila Belmiro on Saturday, July 25, with Cuca confirming that “Neymar is confirmed for Saturday.” Fully recovered and refreshed, the legendary forward is ready to lead the club in their domestic campaign.