Neymar made his comeback to the field after a 369-day absence.

 Neymar made his comeback to the field after a 369-day absence.

Bruna Biancardi was in the stands of Abu Dhabi's Hajja Bin Zayed Stadium with her daughter Mavi and two family friends, eagerly awaiting a special moment. It arrived in the 77th minute when Neymar stepped onto the field, replacing Al Hilal midfielder Nasser Al-Dawsari. Biancardi smiled, reflecting the joy of Neymar's fans worldwide. After a long wait of over a year, he was back on the pitch, and that smile conveyed more than just relief.

Fans had been anxiously wondering when Neymar would return from his injury, and the answer came today during the AFC Champions League match against Al Ain. On October 18 last year, Neymar suffered a left knee injury, which included a torn ACL and meniscus, during a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay. After surgery, he began his rehabilitation, marking the start of a long countdown. After 369 days, Neymar finally returned, helping Al Hilal secure a thrilling 5-4 victory.

The 32-year-old Brazilian made an immediate impact, creating a goal-scoring opportunity after coming off the bench. He exchanged passes with Aleksandar Mitrovic, leading to a shot that was ultimately missed by Al Ain's goalkeeper, Khalid Eisa. Neymar even had a chance to score in the additional 16 minutes of play, and while he didn’t find the net, his return alone was a major relief for his fans.

Neymar himself had been counting down the days until his comeback, expressing his excitement on social media before the match: "It feels good to wake up again. It’s great to feel nervous before a match... hoping for a healthy return." In this high-scoring game, Salem Al-Dawsari netted a hat trick for Al Hilal, while Sufian Rahimi did the same for Al Ain.

After scoring 79 goals in 128 matches for Brazil, Neymar made his long-awaited return to Al Hilal’s bench for the first time since his injury. He joined the Saudi club in August of last year but only played five matches before his injury. Although Al Hilal hasn't registered him for the Saudi Pro League yet, preventing him from participating until January, he is eligible to play in the AFC Champions League.

The legend @neymarjr is back!