Neymar has said he was close to representing Fluminense at the 2025 Club World Cup before opting to return to Santos in January of that year, citing doubts over whether his physical condition would let him make the impact he expected.

Speaking after Santos’ 2–1 win over Fluminense at the Maracanã, Neymar said he had discussed the possibility with Fluminense’s president and then-coach Renato Gaúcho. “I almost played for Fluminense,” he said, adding that the talks concerned the Club World Cup.¹

The player’s explanation casts the failed move less as a breakdown in negotiations than as a personal assessment of his readiness. “Unfortunately, I wasn’t in a good physical moment,” Neymar said. “I think if I had played, I wouldn’t have helped as much as I wanted to.”¹

That decision led him back to Santos, where he has made 54 appearances, scored 21 goals and registered 12 assists since his return, according to the report. Yet the same account notes that physical problems have limited his run of matches, underscoring the concern that influenced his choice before the Club World Cup.¹

The disclosure came after Santos overturned Fluminense’s lead in the Brazilian league match, with Gabigol and Coutinho scoring in the second half. Santos moved to 45 points and retained hopes of a Libertadores place, while fourth-placed Fluminense stayed on 51 points after a third straight defeat as it prepared for a Libertadores semifinal.¹