Brazilian football club Santos has expressed its interest in extending its partnership with football star Neymar to last until the 2026 World Cup. The club’s ambitious project aims at ensuring the footballer’s presence in the team for an extended period, rather than the usual short-term contracts.
Santos president, Andres Rueda, has publicly voiced his intentions, enlightening the football world about the club’s potential plans. Quoting Rueda during an interview, “‘We think about a Neymar project for a long period, not only for a period of six months or a year, but for him to have a sequence inside Santos until the end of his career'”.
The club’s project revolves around the star, Neymar, who hails from Brazil and began his professional career with Santos. Neymar moved on to play at the top level in Europe for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. However, Santos hopes to repatriate the footballer back to his home soil and have him play for Santos once more.
Although the specifics of the project have not yet been fully established, Santos’s intrigue towards extending Neymar’s career with them until 2026 is apparent. The plan lines up with the FIFA World Cup, which is set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico in 2026.
However, this bold move by Santos could face challenges. This project would require considerable financial backing, and the club would also need to negotiate with Paris Saint-Germain. Neymar is currently under contract with the French club until June 2025, which indicates a potential clash of interests in the timeline proposed by Santos.
The project’s future remains uncertain as these factors come into play. Yet, for Santos and Neymar’s fans in Brazil, the anticipation is high, with the hope of seeing the footballer return to his roots to play once again on his home turf.
Last modified: February 6, 2025
