"Feels like I'm going back in time," Neymar said when confirming his return to Santos at the end of January. "It's been nearly 12 years since I left for the most famous club in the world and it seems like yesterday. My feelings for the club and fans have never changed."
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star added: "Now I need to play again. And only a club like Santos can provide the love I need to prepare for the coming challenges in the next few years." They were heartfelt words, but the truth is: Neymar had nowhere else to go after mutually terminating his contract at Al-Hilal.
Injuries overshadowed the end of Neymar's career at PSG, and the Brazilian's physical condition deteriorated further in Saudi Arabia, as he managed just seven appearances for Al-Hilal across one-and-a-half seasons. Santos threw Neymar a lifeline after he'd reached his lowest ebb, a final chance to show his critics that he still has something to offer at the top level.
Naturally, the red carpet was rolled out at Vila Belmiro, with thousands of fans turning out to welcome back their 'prince' at a lavish ceremony featuring local singers and an extravagant fireworks display. Neymar was also bestowed with Pele's iconic No.10 shirt, which he described as an "honour", before telling the crowd: "I am very happy. We lived great moments here. There's still a lot that could come. I will not lack boldness."
He has certainly lived up to that final proclamation, but in truth Neymar hasn't been on the pitch for long enough to make any meaningful impact for Santos so far this season. Winding back the clock has proven to be an impossible task for the 33-year-old, and it's unclear what comes next as he prepares to drop into the free agency pool.