Neymar Senior has just taken the helm as Santos FC’s general manager – will his leadership revive the squad? He’ll stay in the post at least until year‑end.
The club announced Friday that the role, vacant for 18 months, will be filled by the Brazilian star’s dad, known locally as “Neymar Pai.” He’ll serve at least through 2026.
Beyond the boardroom, Neymar Senior remains his son’s longtime agent, having guided the prodigy back to Santos in 2025 after stints at Barcelona, PSG and Saudi Arabia. Yet Neymar features only sparingly now, plagued by injuries and suspensions since the World Cup selection by Carlo Ancelotti. In my view, his off‑field influence may outweigh his limited on‑pitch contributions.
Neymar sees scarce minutes as Santos sit ninth in the league – can his dual role steer the team back into contention?
In the past month the Brazilian has logged just three outings: a half‑time brace against Flamengo, a full‑match effort versus Fluminense and another half‑time appearance versus Bahia. At 34, he doesn’t look poised to recapture his former brilliance.
The ‘Peixe’, Santos’ nickname, sits ninth in Brazil’s top flight with four games left, after flirting with relegation last season. After flirting with relegation last season, the onus now falls on Neymar Senior to lift the club.