Star footballer returns to training and travels with his Saudi Pro League club for their AFC Champions League match.

Brazilian forward Neymar Jr is set to return from a year-long injury layoff after training and traveling with his club Al Hilal for their Asian Champions League match in the United Arab Emirates, the Saudi Pro League club has confirmed.

“Al Hilal is pleased to announce that Neymar will join the squad for the away trip to Al Ain. He is back,” the club said on Saturday.

“Neymar took part in team training after completing his recovery programme,” Al Hilal posted on their social media.

Earlier, Neymar’s marketing company NR Sports also confirmed his potential return in Monday’s Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Champions League Elite match.

“The number 10 will be able to play on Monday to continue his remarkable trajectory,” the statement said, referring to the match.

Welcome back, @neymarjr 💙 pic.twitter.com/UY4TiiNDNo

— AlHilal Saudi Club (@Alhilal_EN) October 19, 2024

Photos posted by Al Hilal showed Neymar taking part in a team training session and joining the Al Hilal squad for their trip to the UAE for their match against the UAE Pro League club.

The 32-year-old Brazil forward has not played since suffering the injury during the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October last year.

He suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and underwent surgery in November.

After moving to Saudi Arabia from French champions Paris Saint-Germain in August for a fee of around 90 million euros ($97.9 million), Neymar had played just five games before his sacking as he struggled with muscle injuries.

The former Barcelona forward, Brazil’s top scorer, missed the 2024 Copa America campaign in the United States, where they suffered their second consecutive quarter-final exit from a major tournament after going on penalties at the 2022 World Cup lost to Croatia.

They play against Al Ain at the Hazza bin Zayed Stadium on Monday.

Neymar’s agency said the Brazilian’s love of football and his hopes of playing in the 2026 World Cup brought him back into action.

“These were days of pain, fear and a lot of longing for football, which were overcome with the help of family and friends, always present for our number 10. And all the fans around the world who gave him all the support on social media networks,” the statement added.

“The wait is over.”

“Every time I get injured, I come back. But I won’t come back halfway,” a tearful Neymar said in a video on social media in which he spoke about his recovery with footage of his attempts to come back.

Neymar returned to training in July, but in September his club coach Jorge Jesus tempered expectations of an immediate comeback.

The Portuguese coach has not confirmed that Neymar will play on Monday.

Neymar, whose two-year contract expires in August, is eligible to participate in AFC Champions League Elite matches as the continental competition has no restrictions on the number of foreign players allowed. That is not the case in the Saudi Pro League, which will not see him again until January.

If fit, Neymar could return to Brazil’s national team in two rounds of South American World Cup qualifying, scheduled for November.