Neymar has officially returned to his boyhood club, Santos.
The Brazilian superstar, still the world's most expensive player, has signed a six-month contract, marking his comeback to Vila Belmiro.
The 32-year-old's return follows the termination of his contract with Al-Hilal on January 27, ending an injury-ridden and ultimately disappointing spell in the Saudi Pro League.
"He was desperate to come back to Santos," said BBC Sport's Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.
Santos were eager to bring Neymar back too. They reportedly used an AI-generated voice of club legend Pele, external in a video to persuade him to re-sign.
But what will Neymar really bring to Santos?
As Balague said: "Everyone knows where he is now with his relationship to football."
The relationship has evolved throughout his career, earning Neymar a reputation as 'the prince who never became king'.
A graphic of Neymar with a hand-drawn crown above his head. Neymar is in front of a Brazil flag.
'The prince who never became king'
Search for that nickname on TikTok or YouTube and you will find a flood of compilations with videos of Neymar's best moments.
These are not just highlight reels of goals - there are montages of dazzling dribbles, rainbow flicks, and nutmegs.
A celebration of 'Joga Bonito', the Brazilian ethos of 'playing [football] beautifully', Neymar's game encapsulated the spirit of football as art.
Add to that the many hairstyles and the nose tape, his whole aesthetic has enhanced a football culture and lineage that some felt might break when his Brazil counterpart Ronaldinho faded from view.
By the time Neymar left Santos in 2013 for Barcelona, the then 21-year-old had scored 136 goals in 225 appearances, won the 2011 Puskas Award for a breathtaking goal against Flamengo and finished in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or award in the same year.
Upon his move to Spain, Neymar was perceived by many as the heir apparent, the one who could finally step out of the shadows cast by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
"He's a lovely person - childlike in many ways - but surrounded by good people, and he loved Barcelona," Balague said.
Under the bright lights of the Nou Camp, Neymar shone in what many consider one of the greatest forward lines in football history.
In a front three with Messi and Luis Suarez, he helped to deliver two La Liga titles, three Copa del Reys, and a Champions League trophy.
Operating from the left, Neymar occupied a role that allowed his brilliance and flair to flourish.
"He had to play in that position because of Suarez and Messi," Balague explained.
"At the time, he didn't realise that being just a left winger would bring out his best."
In the 2015-16 season, the so-called MSN trio combined for 131 goals and 65 assists, dismantling defences with pace, precision, and audacity.
Neymar was delivering on the biggest stage, but the dream of dethroning his now team-mate Messi to become the world's best player was looking like just that, a dream. Messi was the untouchable star of the show, with everyone else in a supporting role, even Neymar.
Balague reflected: "The day he realised he had to leave Barcelona was their incredible Champions League comeback victory against Paris St-Germain which finished 6-1 in March 2017.
"He scored two goals and got an assist for the sixth goal, he was the best player on the pitch, but the main photo after was of Messi. He realised he would not be able to be the number one at Barcelona."
That summer, Neymar swapped his life in Spain for the capital of France.
Source: BBC
BDST: 1240 HRS, FEB 01, 2025
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