Neymar returns to Argentina after 14 years

It has been 14 years since Neymar last set foot in Argentina in club competition. Now, with the 2026 World Cup on his horizon, the Brazilian forward returns as one of the standout names in the Copa Sudamericana, with Santos set to face San Lorenzo on matchday three.

His arrival in the country did not go unnoticed, particularly among players from Argentina’s two biggest clubs. Giuliano Galoppo, representing River Plate, met up with the Santos star, while Ander Herrera, currently with Boca Juniors, also posed with him ahead of the game.

Herrera’s connection runs deeper. The Spanish midfielder previously shared a locker room with Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain, where they played together between 2019 and 2022. Today, Leandro Paredes – another former PSG teammate of Neymar – lines up alongside Herrera in midfield, adding another layer of familiarity to the reunion.

The clash with San Lorenzo will mark Neymar’s second meeting with the club at the professional level, spanning a remarkable arc in his career – from facing Vélez Sarsfield at 19 to now, at 34, taking on El Ciclón at the Nuevo Gasómetro. Back then it was the Copa Libertadores; today, it is the Copa Sudamericana. The stage has changed, but the underlying ambition remains tied to one goal: a place at the 2026 World Cup.

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