Santos Boss Explains Neymars Latest Injury Absence

Neymar missed Santos’ 1-1 draw against Internacional after experiencing knee discomfort before and during the previous match against Mirassol. The 33-year-old, who has scored 4 goals in 17 appearances this season, was rested as a precaution. Coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda expects him to rejoin the squad soon but his availability for the next game remains uncertain.

When the news broke that Neymar had missed Santos’ Serie A clash against Internacional, manager Juan Pablo Vojvoda quickly clarified the situation. The forward, who has struggled with recurring fitness issues since returning to his boyhood club in January 2025, was ruled out due to fresh knee discomfort. Neymar had recently come back from a hamstring injury and had started the previous three league matches, but pain resurfaced ahead of the Mirassol game and continued the following day.

This setback forced the coaching staff to take precautionary measures. Vojvoda explained that Neymar felt he would not be able to meet the physical demands of the Internacional fixture, especially with matches scheduled every three days and the travel burden on the squad. Despite the concern, the manager stressed that Neymar remains committed and is expected to rejoin the team ahead of the upcoming match against Sport, though his participation is still uncertain.

Neymar’s second spell at Santos has been far from smooth. The 33 year old has battled multiple injuries, limiting him to 25 appearances in 2025 across all competitions, contributing seven goals and three assists. In the league, he has four goals from 17 matches. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaching, the repeated setbacks have made his bid for a national team return increasingly challenging.