Overview
- Santos avoided relegation with a 3-0 final-day win over Cruzeiro, with Neymar playing through a left-knee problem to start and finish the match.
- The 33-year-old sparked a late surge with five goals in the last four games, including a hat-trick on Dec. 3, plus a key creative display in the finale.
- Neymar said he will rest briefly before undergoing left-knee surgery and offered no timetable or procedural details.
- His contract expires in the coming weeks and he said he has not decided whether to stay at Santos, noting he will decide after a short break.
- World Cup involvement remains uncertain as Carlo Ancelotti has insisted on full fitness for selection, and some reports say Neymar may consult a renowned Brazilian physiotherapist during recovery.