Neymar made his long-awaited return to the pitch after more than a year out due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, coming on as a substitute during the second half of Al Hilal's AFC Champions League Elite match against Al Ain.
The Brazilian forward entered the game in the 77th minute, replacing Nasser Al Dawsari, shortly after Salem Al Dawsari netted a goal to give Al Hilal a 5-3 lead. Neymar almost made an immediate impact, linking up with Aleksandar Mitrovic to create a chance, but his shot went just wide of the left post.
The match concluded with a score of 5-4 in favor of Al Hilal, even after Al Ain managed to convert a late penalty.
After the final whistle, Neymar shared his feelings.
"I feel good..., he said. “I always have a good team. I'm so happy. I'm back! I'm back!"
The former Paris Saint-Germain star sustained his knee injury during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay shortly after moving to the Saudi Pro League (SPL). He underwent surgery in November 2023.
Neymar joined Al Hilal from PSG in August 2023 for a reported fee of €90 million but had only played five matches before his injury.
In a show of support, Neymar's former club Santos celebrated his comeback with a message on X.
"It was more than 12 months away from the field, with an immeasurable longing to return to doing what he loves so much," the Brazilian club stated.
"Neymar is not just a star. It's not just genius. Neymar is synonymous with joy in football. His return is the happiness of millions of fans around the world. And, when it comes to fans, the Santos nation has an incomparable feeling. A more than special bond with the best Brazilian player of recent years."
Swansea City and Jamal Lowe are set to reconnect on Tuesday, with Luke Williams indicating that “most” clubs in the Championship would be pleased to have the forward on their team.
Last season, Lowe was a joint top scorer for Swansea, finding the net nine times in 35 appearances, including 24 starts, after returning to the club on loan from Bournemouth.
After becoming a free agent over the summer, Williams had previously hinted in April that Swansea might consider offering the Jamaica international a permanent contract.
Lowe, who celebrated his 30th birthday in July, ultimately signed with Sheffield Wednesday on a free transfer.
Williams expressed his willingness to have retained the former Wigan and Portsmouth player, stating, “I think most Championship squads would be very pleased to have Jamal Lowe.”
“However, you can’t have everything, and we are content with our current squad. We’re also really glad that Jamal has found a club where he can play regular football.
“Not everything is perfect in life, but I think, in the end, it was a good solution for both sides.
”So far this season, Lowe has scored twice in nine appearances for the Owls, with his only league goal coming on the opening weekend.
“He is a very gifted player, we know that,” Williams added. “He is very creative, possesses good physicality, and can be difficult to handle. But we also have several players in our squad who have experience playing with him, so hopefully, that gives us a better chance to cope with him.
“We look forward to seeing him because he is a great guy, but we hope he has a quiet game.”
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