Neymar is a digital cannon
Neymar. A name that carries multiple meanings at once. Some love him, some don’t. Some believe he will lead Brazil to FIFA World Cup glory in 2026—just as Romário, the star of the 1994 triumph, recently claimed. Others aren’t convinced and have made that clear, like Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, who greenlit his return to Santos Futebol Clube.
One thing is certain: “Say good things or bad things, but talk about me!” This old saying, with an uncertain origin, once again proved true with Neymar’s much-talked-about homecoming.
To grasp the digital impact of his return, look no further than the numbers. On January 31, the day of the official announcement, Santos FC amassed 26.62 million engagements—a figure that outperformed the combined total of Barcelona and Real Madrid on Instagram that same day (14.8 million).
The situation Santos found itself in may have played a role in the story. Fresh off a promotion back to the Série A after being relegated in 2023, the club is in the midst of a rebuilding process, aiming to reclaim its rightful place as a powerhouse in Brazilian football. Neymar arrives as the face of this resurgence, a leader in the club’s revival.
Still, regardless of Santos’ current phase, Neymar has once again proven, through sheer numbers, that he remains a digital phenomenon.
A quick comparison with his high-profile transfer from Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) to Al Hilal (SAU) in 2023 – when he was still at the center of global football coverage as part of a star – studded attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé – highlights his enduring impact. Back then, he brought 1.3 million new followers and generated 37.1 million engagements for the Saudi club’s official Instagram account in the week leading up to the official announcement.
This time, Neymar’s return to Santos resulted in an even bigger boost. The club’s official Instagram account gained 1.46 million new followers and recorded a total of 32.8 million interactions over seven days.
While the total number of interactions dipped slightly—largely due to Neymar’s limited time on the pitch in recent months due to injuries—his return has ignited a wave of excitement among Santos fans. More than that, it has likely drawn the attention of rival supporters who see him as a potential leader, not only in Brazil’s quest for a seventh World Cup title but also in making the Brasileirão even more compelling.
A better performance than some rivals’ entire year
The 1.46 million new followers Santos gained in just one week is so significant that it warrants a comparison with its competitors.
In fact, this one-week surge surpassed the entire annual follower growth of Palmeiras, the 2024 Brazilian league runner-up, which gained 1.27 million followers throughout last season. Another rival left in the dust was São Paulo, whose 538,000 new followers in 2024 were overshadowed by Santos’ “golden week.”
Even Botafogo, a team that made history by winning its first-ever Copa Libertadores title and ending a nearly 30-year drought in the Brasileirão, saw less impact. The Rio de Janeiro club attracted “only” 418,000 new Instagram followers in 2024—a number comfortably surpassed by Neymar’s homecoming effect in just seven days.
To put this into perspective, Santos’ follower growth in just one week is nearly equivalent to the entire follower base of Ceará, a club with a strong tradition in Brazil’s Northeast and currently competing in the top division. The number also surpasses Red Bull Bragantino, Juventude, Mirassol, and 19 of the 20 teams in Série B.
Engagement levels surpass monthly records of major rivals
If the follower growth was already impressive enough to outshine the annual numbers of competing clubs, the engagement levels on January 31 alone took things even further.
The 26.6 million interactions recorded on the day of Neymar’s announcement would have placed Santos fourth in the national engagement ranking, ahead of several of Brazil’s most traditional and widely supported clubs. That includes local rival Palmeiras, as well as Cruzeiro, Vasco, Atlético Mineiro, Bahia, Grêmio, Fluminense, Botafogo, Internacional, and many others with deep-rooted histories and passionate fan bases across the country.
Bringing this performance to a global scale, Santos’ engagement numbers on January 31 were on par with Arsenal’s (ENG) monthly total. The figure also surpassed the monthly engagement of Boca Juniors (ARG), Atlético de Madrid (ESP), Roma (ITA), Borussia Dortmund (GER), Benfica (POR), and many other major clubs around the world.
Truly remarkable!
Riding the Neymar wave paid off!
It wasn’t just Santos that benefited from Neymar’s return. Sports media outlets, league profiles worldwide, and even sports betting platforms found ways to capitalize on the buzz, leveraging organic engagement thanks to Neymar’s massive media appeal.
However, the official Brasileirão account took things a step further.
By tapping into the emotional weight of the moment and collaborating with Neymar’s official account as well as his wife Bruna’s profile, the league’s digital team struck gold. The post amassed 4.5 million engagements, catapulting the Brasileirão’s digital ranking among leagues worldwide.
On January 31, it became the second most-engaged football league in the world.
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The only account that outperformed Santos on January 31 was UEFA Champions League’s, which, on the same day, held its playoff draw and, in the process, set up a blockbuster showdown: Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City (ENG) vs. Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid (ESP).
While the Brasileirão made impressive strides among football leagues, in the media landscape, Fabrizio Romano’s profile also saw a major surge. His post announcing Neymar’s return generated approximately 1.7 million engagements on January 31.
The 433 account, a globally recognized football media profile, also saw impressive numbers. A post featuring Neymar “reuniting” with his younger self from his early Santos days generated 1.2 million engagements.
Amid all these impressive numbers, Neymar has once again proven that he is a true digital phenomenon. Samba Digital will continue tracking the biggest moments in the sports world and analyzing the best digital practices.
