Just hours after featuring in Real Madrid's 2–3 victory over Leganes, Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo and Endrick all supported Neymar in his second debut for Santos.
Neymar made his grand return to Brazil this winter after transferring from Saudi Pro League's Al Hilal to Santos. The 33-year-old chose to play for his boyhood club despite heavy rumors linking him to a reunion with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez on Inter Miami.
After 12 years away from Santos, Neymar represented the club once more on Feb. 5, which happens to be his birthday. The Brazil international came on as a substitute in the second half and donned the captain's armband. Fans in attendance at the Estádio Vila Belmiro and those watching across the globe welcomed the legend back to Brazil.
Real Madrid winger Rodrygo posted a photo of himself watching the game while wearing a Neymar kit. The Brazilian wrote, "Ready for NeyDay" on his Instagram story.
Rodrygo supporting his idol Neymar 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/DGNFhNn7T9
— 433 (@433) February 6, 2025
Vinícius Júnior also posted on his Instagram story the night of Neymar's second debut. The 24-year-old shared a photo of himself and Neymar and wrote, "Happy birthday, my brother! All the best! Enjoy it a lot!"
JOIN SI SOCCER'S REAL MADRID WHATSAPP COMMUNITY - GET ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND ANALYSIS STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE
Even 18-year-old Endrick, who has never played with Neymar before, found a way to honor the Brazilian legend. After scoring in Real Madrid's Copa del Rey match against Leganes, the striker paid tribute to Neymar by hitting his trademark celebration.
Although Santos could only manage a 1–1 draw against Botafogo SP, the night was still a dream for Neymar. "I love Santos. I have no words to describe what I felt tonight when I stepped again on this pitch," Neymar said after the match.
If Neymar remains healthy and builds up his match fitness, he could be in for a reunion with his Brazilian teammates as the Seleção continue their quest towards qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
READ THE LATEST SOCCER NEWS, PREVIEWS, PREDICTIONS, TRANSFER RUMORS AND MORE
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Vinicius Junior, Real Madrid Players React to Neymar's Santos Debut.
