With a hat-trick of Neymarwho had not scored three goals in the same game for three years and who yesterday scored his 150th goal with e Saintsyour team won 0-3 at Youth on the penultimate day of the Brazilian Championship and moves away from the relegation-threatened zone, where it was at risk of falling again. The former FC Barcelona and PSG attacker scored his three goals (one from a penalty) in just 17 minutes in the second half despite the fact that he returned to play with knee protection, due to the discomfort he is suffering from an injury for which he refuses to stop.
The away victory with just one match left in the League left Santos in 15th place in the standings, with 44 points, two ahead of Vitoria (42), 17th in the standings and first in the relegation zone. To avoid a new fall to the second division, where it was in 2024, the São Paulo team needs at least a draw on Sunday, when it will host Cruzeiro, or setbacks from the other clubs fighting to escape the relegation zone.
Although he has not shone since returning to Santos in January of this year, as he has faced several injuries since then, Neymar’s performance has been decisive for the São Paulo team in recent days, in which they have been threatened by the risk of relegation.
In his last three games, Neymar scored five goals and provided one assist. The Brazilian team’s top scorer has been forced to play, since his knee problems are evident, in an attempt to convince the Canarinha coach, Carlo Ancelotti, to call him up for the 2026 World Cup. The coach, however, has made it clear in repeated statements that he will only call up players who are at 100% of their physical performance.
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After having wasted some opportunities in the first half, Neymar was the star of the second half, with his three goals and a high-level game. He opened the scoring in the 55th minute after an assist from the Argentine Álvaro Barrela from the right. Nine minutes later he extended the lead after receiving a pass from Igor Vinícius inside the area on a counterattack. And he closed the score in the 72nd minute by converting a penalty scored for a foul on the Argentine Lautaro Díaz into a goal.
At the end of the match and despite playing at Juventude’s home, part of the fans applauded the idol, who approached the public to thank them for their support. The forward had not scored a hat trick since April 2022, when he was still at PSG.
