Neymar revealed he meant to score directly from a corner for Santos, doing so in response to jeers from the opposing fans. (More Football News)
꧅The Brazilian curled in a corner-kick from the left that caught out goalkeeper Igo Gabriel before bouncing in off the far post in the 27th minute.
💝His fantastic 27th-minute strike, which came in a 3-0 victory at Internacional de Limeira in the Paulista Championship, then drew cheers from the home crowd.
ꦿNeymar had also assisted Tiquinho Soares' opening goal in the ninth minute, also from a corner, which had drawn boos from the stands.
🎉"I went to take the [first] corner, they provoked me," Neymar said after the game. "I asked them to sing louder, I struck the ball and got an assist.
𒁃"Then, the second time I went there [to the corner], they did it again, so I thought to myself: 'Now I'm the one who's going to score the goal'.
🉐"I hit a great shot and managed to score my first "Olympic goal" [goal direct from a corner]."
ꦕNeymar was directly involved in three goals against Inter de Limeira (one goal, two assists), a feat he had not reached in club matches in 763 days, since Paris Saint-Germain's win against Pays de Cassel in the Coupe de France (one goal, two assists).
ಌHe has scored two goals in six appearances since rejoining his boyhood club on a six-month deal in January.
𝓀The 33-year-old was limited to just seven appearances during his 18-month spell at Al-Hilal due to injury and has not played for the Brazil national team since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in October 2023.
🦩Dorival Junior is set to name his Brazil squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina in early March, and Neymar, the Selecao's all-time leading goalscorer, is hopeful of getting back into the squad.
💧"I'm going game by game, getting ready and feeling better on the field," Neymar said.
🐷"I'm not going back to being 19 years old, how much I miss it, but I feel better and more relaxed.
🍃"Regarding the [Brazil] call-up, I'm there. Each player's desire is to defend the country, and for me, it has always been an honour.
✃"I dedicated myself to the team to the fullest. I enjoy being there, representing Brazil. If I have the opportunity to return, I will be very happy."
