Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, Santos’ number 10, returns to the pitch after a muscle injury to his right thigh, in a match against Fortaleza this Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 4pm, in Vila Belmiro, in Santos (SP), for the 31st round of the Brasileirão Betano. The striker, listed by coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda, could enter the second half in a direct duel to remain in Serie A, with Peixe in 16th with 32 points and Leão in 18th with 27. Expectations involve the impact of the star, who has six goals and three assists in 21 games this season.
The return takes place more than a month after the last game, on September 14, against Atlético-MG. Neymar trained with the ball this week and asked to be selected.
Santos seeks victory at home to avoid the risk of relegation. Fortaleza, the third worst visitor in the championship, won just one away game.
- Santos needs points to move up the table and avoid Series B.
- Fortaleza has eight defeats in 13 trips.
- Neymar represents hope for change in the Santos attack.
Neymar has scored 445 goals for clubs and the Brazilian national team over 33 years. At Santos, he scored 142 in 225 professional matches, highlighting 57 in the Brasileirão.
For Barcelona, between 2013 and 2017, he scored 105 goals in 186 games, forming the MSN trio with Messi and Suárez. At PSG, from 2017 to 2023, he recorded 118 goals and 70 assists in 173 appearances.
At Al-Hilal, in 2023 and 2024, he scored one goal in seven games before resigning and returning to Santos in January 2025. This data reinforces his average productivity of 0.7 goals per game.
Peak at PSG defines prime
The period at Paris Saint-Germain represents the peak of Neymar’s career, according to the player himself. In the 2019/20 season, he led the team to the Champions League final, with 19 goals and 10 assists in 27 games.
He played 173 games for the French club, winning five Ligue 1 titles and four French Cups. Despite frequent injuries from 2018 onwards, he maintained an average of 0.68 goals per game.
At Barcelona, he won the Champions League in 2015 with 39 goals that season, but PSG marked the peak of technical maturity. The star claims that, without injuries, he would have won the Ballon d’Or.
The impact included raising the level of the Parisian attack, with 188 total goal appearances. This phase established Neymar as one of the greatest dribblers in history.
Expected impact on the clash
The presence of Neymar can double Santos’ offensive production, which scores 0.9 goals per game without him and 1.8 with the striker on the field. In 2025, the team won 60% of home duels against Z-4 rivals with his participation.
Against Fortaleza, the star brings experience in decisive games, with a history of goals in knockout matches. His vision of the game must create spaces for Guilherme and Lautaro Díaz.
The return motivates the fans, with tickets sold out at Vila Belmiro, capacity of 16 thousand. Experts predict that he will enter in the 60th minute to unbalance.
Fortaleza, with a vulnerable defense away, conceded 25 goals in 13 trips. Neymar’s entry accelerates counterattacks, exploiting the visiting fragility.
History of confrontations with the Lion
Santos and Fortaleza faced each other 23 times, with eight wins for Peixe, five for Leão and ten draws. In the first round of 2025, Santos won 3-2 at Castelão.
Neymar did not play in that duel, but scored twice in previous games against Ceará. The average number of goals is 2.5 per match, favoring quick attacks.
The recent record shows balance, with Fortaleza undefeated in the last three away matches. Santos seeks to reverse this with the reinforcement of number 10.
Recent team performance
Santos drew 2-2 with Botafogo in the previous round. Before, they lost to Vitória 1-0 and beat Bahia 2-1, adding seven points in the last five rounds.
The teamconceded eight goals in that period, with an exposed defense. Guilherme leads with four goals this season.
Fortaleza beat Flamengo 1-0, but lost to Corinthians 2-1. They drew 1-1 with Grêmio and fell to Fluminense 2-1, with six points collected.
Breno Lopes has five goals for Leão, who scored seven and conceded nine in the last games.
Where to watch live
The match will be broadcast on SporTV and Premiere, on closed TV, from 4pm. Subscribers access Premiere Play via streaming.
Narrators include Luiz Carlos Jr. on SporTV, with tactical analysis. CBF apps offer real-time coverage.
Fans follow final lineups on the official Brasileirão Betano website.
