Neymar Tests Positive for COVID Again Raising Fresh Concerns About His Future with Santos

Brazilian forward Neymar has tested positive for COVID-19, dealing another blow to both his personal comeback and Santos’ turbulent campaign in the Brazilian Serie A. The 33-year-old was officially ruled out of action by the club on Saturday, after exhibiting symptoms earlier in the week and undergoing lab tests that confirmed the infection.

The news couldn’t have come at a worse time. Neymar’s contract with Santos expires on June 30, and his return to his boyhood club has been riddled with injuries, suspensions, and now a second bout of COVID-19 — the first being during his stint at Paris Saint-Germain back in May 2021.

According to the club’s medical statement, Neymar began feeling unwell on Thursday, June 5, and was immediately withdrawn from training. He has since been under symptomatic treatment at home and remains unavailable for selection. The illness adds to an already complicated final stretch at Santos, where the striker was already set to miss the next match due to a suspension stemming from a controversial red card against Botafogo.

Neymar has made only 12 appearances this season, recording three goals and three assists, as persistent injuries and fitness issues have kept him on the sidelines. His last major impact for Brazil came in October 2023, during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay, where he was stretchered off after suffering a serious injury. Since then, he has been excluded from Brazil’s Copa America 2024 squad, and his absence has been felt both on the national and club level.

With Santos sitting in 18th place on the league table, inside the relegation zone, the club has managed only two wins from 11 matches. Neymar’s current absence, due to COVID-19, adds to the mounting pressure on a team already struggling to find its footing. For fans who had hoped to see the former Barcelona and PSG star light up Brazilian football once again, this may well be the end of a short and frustrating chapter.

While there has been no official word from Neymar himself following the diagnosis, his recent social media activity has remained minimal. However, sources close to the forward suggest he is focusing on recovery and spending time with family amid uncertainty regarding his next career move.

As the Club World Cup approaches and the Brazilian league pauses after the Fortaleza match, questions loom large over Neymar’s future — not just with Santos, but in professional football altogether. Is this just a temporary setback, or has the boyhood return turned into a farewell without a flourish?