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Left-footed spot-kick denied in Guarulhos
Serving as co-president of Furia alongside his close friend Cris Guedes, Neymar stepped down from the stands at the Trident Arena to take the first-half spot-kick. Opting to strike the ball with his weaker left foot rather than his favoured right, the Peixe number 10 saw his attempt thwarted by opposing goalkeeper Luan Telles. Fortunately for the 34-year-old, his side still cruised to a comfortable 7-3 triumph.
Brazilian superstar eyes future participation
Unfazed by his earlier miss from the spot, the veteran playmaker returned to the club's broadcast booth in high spirits to watch the remainder of the contest. Addressing viewers during the live stream, Neymar admitted he wants to pull on his boots in the competition one day: "I'd love to play in the Kings League one day. Is there room for me at Furia? I'm the president, so I'll play in 2030."
Naming the Vila Belmiro stars he would recruit for his ideal line-up, the attacker added: "I wonder if the fans would like to see my Santos teammates playing in the Kings League? Our team would be me, Couto [Philippe Coutinho], Gabi, Arthur, Cebolinha, our incredible Rodinei, and Brazao in goal."
Seven-a-side format captivates local audiences
Founded by former Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, the Kings League has expanded into the South American market with a fast-paced seven-a-side format fronted by prominent digital content creators and internet personalities as club presidents. Monday's fixture formed part of the ongoing Kings Cup Brazil tournament, where Neymar serves as the headline figure for Furia.
Away from his seven-a-side duties, the forward's immediate professional future in the 11-a-side game also appears increasingly settled as his current contract approaches its December expiry date. His father, Neymar Sr, was recently appointed as the new chief executive at Santos and has already indicated that the board plan to extend his son's stay into the 2027 season.
Domestic return follows suspension lay-off
Having sat out his club's last two Campeonato Brasileiro fixtures through suspension, Neymar is now preparing to return to competitive action after the November international break. The playmaker is scheduled to feature when Santos travel to face Coritiba in Round 35 of the top-flight campaign on November 18. Delivering a strong finish across the final four league games will be vital for the Peixe's continental ambitions.
