Santos' football star Neymar endured pain on the pitch to secure a crucial win that preserves the team's top-tier status.
However, the risk came at a cost as he now faces a knee injury that puts his World Cup participation in serious jeopardy.
Despite the injury, the 33-year-old played the full 90 minutes helping Santos secure a 3-0 victory over Cruzeiro.
Neymar said, "I need to rest and then I will have this knee surgery," as per BBC Sports.
He added, "I came for this, to try to help in the best way I can. These have been tough weeks for me. I thank those who were with me to lift me up. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have played these matches because of this knee problem."
However, Neymar, who had returned to Brazil in January after playing only seven games in 18 months for Saudi club Al Hilal, didn't specify how long his recovery will take.
Santos was relegated for the first time in 2023 and had to fight to stay in the top league this season.
In the last five games, Santos remained undefeated, with Neymar played a key role, scoring five goals and providing one assist during that stretch.
