neymar biography in spanish

(1992/02/05 - Unknown)

Futbolista brasileño

Considerado uno de los mejores jugadores de su generación..

Debut deportivo : 7 de marzo de 2009 (Santos F. C.)

Posición : Delantero

Dorsales : 7, 10,11, 17...

Padres : Neymar Santos y Nadine da Silva

Hijos : Davi Lucca da Silva Santos, Mavie

Nombre : Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior

Altura : 1,75

Selección brasileña

F.c. barcelona.

«Si no eres feliz en un sitio, te tienes que ir». Neymar

París Saint-Germain F.C.

Al-hilal saudi f. c..

«Soy el mejor del mundo; Messi y Cristiano son de otro planeta». Neymar

Sabías que...

Su pie izquierdo es casi medio centímetro más pequeño que su pie derecho.

Portuguesa — Brasil — 1998/2003 Santos F. C. — Brasil — 2003/2013 F. C. Barcelona — España — 2013/2017 París Saint-Germain F. C. — Francia — 2017

Campeonatos Regionales Campeonato Paulista — Santos FC — 2010 Campeonato Paulista — Santos FC — 2011 Campeonato Paulista — Santos FC — 2012 Campeonatos Nacionales Copa de Brasil — Santos FC — 2010 Supercopa de España — FC Barcelona — España — 2013 Liga española — F. C. Barcelona — 2015 Copa del Rey — F. C. Barcelona — 2015 Liga BBVA — F.C. Barcelona — 2016 Copa del Rey — F.C. Barcelona — 2016 Copa de la Liga de Francia — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2017-18 Ligue 1 — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2017-18 Copa de Francia — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2017-18 Supercopa de Francia — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2018 Ligue 1 — París Saint Germain F. C. —2018-19 Supercopa de Francia — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2019 Ligue 1 — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2019-20 Copa de Francia — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2019-20 Copa de la Liga de Francia — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2019-20 Supercopa de Francia — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2020 Copa de Francia — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2020-2021 Ligue 1 — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2021-2022 Supercopa de Francia — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2022 Ligue 1 — París Saint Germain F. C. — 2023 Copas Internacionales Sudamericano Sub-20 — Selección Sub-20 — 2011 Copa Libertadores — Santos FC — 2011 Plata Juegos Olímpicos — Selección Olímpica — Reino Unido — 2012 Recopa Sudamericana — Santos FC — 2012 Copa Confederaciones — Selección Adulta — 2013 Liga de Campeones — F. C. Barcelona — Berlín — 2015 Supercopa de Europa — F. C. Barcelona — Tiflis — 2015 Copa Mundial de Clubes — F. C. Barcelona — Japón — 2015

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Soccer superstar Neymar Jr. lived up to the lofty expectations of his youth, having played for FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain and winning an Olympic gold medal for Brazil.

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Who Is Neymar?

Quick facts, early life as a soccer prodigy, pro career: santos fc, fc barcelona, psg, and al-hilal, brazil national team, son and daughter, controversies.

1992-present

Neymar News: Joins Saudi Arabian Club Al-Hilal

Soccer superstar Neymar signed a two-year contract to join Al-Hilal, a Saudi Arabian club, completing a deal with Paris Saint-Germain that first surfaced on August 13. The 31-year-old forward played for PSG for six seasons. “I am here in Saudi Arabia, I am HILALI,” Neymar posted on his social media accounts August 15.

Brazilian soccer player Neymar drew attention for his impressive athletic abilities at an early age. He emerged as a star for Santos FC as a teenager, winning four straight Player of the Year awards while becoming one of Brazil’s most popular public figures. Neymar made the leap to Europe to join FC Barcelona for the start of the 2013-14 season and became a fixture for a club that claimed numerous domestic and international titles. After leading the Brazilian men to their first Olympic gold medal in 2016, the star forward transferred to France’s Paris Saint-Germain the following year. He now plays for Al-Hilal, a Saudi Arabian club.

FULL NAME: Neymar da Silva Santos Jr. BORN: February 5, 1992 BIRTHPLACE: Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil CHILDREN: Davi ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Aquarius

Neymar da Silva Santos Jr. was born on February 5, 1992, in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil. The son of a former professional soccer player, Neymar followed in his father’s footsteps by playing street games and futsal, an indoor version of the game. He joined the Portuguesa Santista youth club in 1999, and within a few years was one of the most highly regarded young talents in the country.

Neymar joined the youth system of Santos FC at age 11. News of his abilities spread to Europe, and he was offered the chance to continue his development with Real Madrid C.F. at age 14, but the Santos team’s management reportedly convinced Neymar to stay put with a large bonus.

Following in the footsteps of Pelé who started his career at Santos FC, Neymar made his professional debut for the club in 2009 and lived up to the hype by earning the league’s Best Young Player award. He emerged as a full-blown star in 2010, helping Santos claim the league and Copa do Brasil championships en route to the first of three straight scoring titles and four straight Player of the Year awards. That season he also made his debut for the senior national team and debuted a Mohawk-style haircut, which quickly became popular among younger fans.

In 2011, the flashy forward produced what would be voted the FIFA Goal of the Year and led Santos to its first Copa Libertadores championship in 48 years. However, he also began to experience the backlash that accompanies fame, including media scolding him for fathering a son out of wedlock.

Neymar scored his 100 th professional goal on his 20 th birthday in 2012 and finished the year with a career-best total of 43. That year, Santos also won its third straight league title. In 2013, Neymar became the first Brazilian athlete to grace the cover of Time with his appearance on the March 4 issue.

FC Barcelona

In May 2013, Neymar announced he was making the leap to Europe with a transfer to FC Barcelona, a powerful club that at the time featured superstar Argentine striker Lionel Messi and several members of the Spanish national team.

Neymar lived up to his billing with Barcelona, giving the loaded Spanish club yet another gifted all-around talent. He scored an amazing 39 goals during the 2014-15 season, helping the club achieve the coveted treble by claiming league, domestic cup, and European Cup titles. The following year, one week after Barcelona became La Liga champs, he scored in extra time to propel the club to another Copa Del Rey title.

Paris Saint-Germain

Following a controversial transfer and a world record deal of 222 million euros, Neymar began playing for Paris Saint-Germain in August 2017. His tenure with the French club got off to a promising start, before he suffered the broken foot that ended his season after 30 games. Neymar then suffered another foot injury the following season, though he recovered in time to help his club win the Ligue 1 title.

Already known for his theatrics on the pitch, Neymar came under fire for his behavior during his second season with PSG. He criticized the officials following a Champions League loss to Manchester United in March, drawing a three-game suspension for upcoming Champions League play. The following month, after another loss, Neymar got into an altercation with a fan who was insulting the PSG players.

Neymar and teammate Kylian Mbappé generated some traction over the seasons, and expectations soared in 2021 when Messi joined the squad. However, PSG still hasn’t won the Champions League title.

To start the 2023-24 season, Neymar missed PSG’s August season opener in the French league due to illness. The next day, reports surfaced about a deal to send the Brazilian to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal club. The trade was executed within days. Neymar left PSG as its fourth all-time highest scorer, with 118 goals in 173 matches.

On August 15, 2023, Neymar joined Al-Hilal, a club based in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh. He joins Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Arabian league on a two-year contract. Exact terms haven’t been released, but early reports indicate Al-Hilal is paying a transfer fee between 80 million and 160 million euros ($102 million to $175 million). Both are a considerable jump down from the record-setting 222 million euros PSG paid to acquire the forward from Barcelona in 2017. ESPN reports Neymar’s annual salary will be around $100 million.

Al-Hilal’s next game is on August 19. No word on whether Neymar will take the field in his new blue and white uniform.

Neymar has played for the Brazilian national team since August 2010. He’s tied with Pelé as the country’s leading goal scorer, with with 77 goals in 124 games.

He was criticized for his play during Brazil’s quarterfinals loss in the 2011 Copa America tournament. In 2012, the young star again was subject to criticism when Brazil lost the 2012 Summer Olympics gold-medal game to an underdog Mexico team. Soon afterward, the wunderkind silenced a share of his critics by leading Brazil to victory in the 2013 Confederations Cup, indicating his readiness to shoulder bigger expectations on the world stage.

2014 World Cup Injury

Neymar’s performance shined in the 2014 World Cup on his home turf of Brazil but was cut short before the finals. On July 4, minutes before Brazil won its quarterfinal match against Colombia, Neymar was carried from the field in a stretcher in tears of agony after breaking a bone in his back resulting from a challenge by Colombia’s defender Juan Zuniga. With their star player sidelined, Brazil’s hope for the World Cup title was dashed when they lost their semifinal match to Germany, 7-1.

2016 Olympics and 2018 World Cup

For all his individual brilliance, Neymar still faced the question of whether he could lift his teammates to glory on the international stage. He was suspended during the 2015 Copa America, effectively squashing Brazil’s chances of making an extended run. The following year, he sat out the tournament to stay rested and healthy for the 2016 Rio Olympics, a move that worked wonders: The star player delivered several key goals to propel his team forward, before knocking home the winning penalty kick to give Brazil its first men’s soccer gold medal.

The Brazilians again faced high expectations heading into the 2018 World Cup, but Neymar’s return from a broken foot ultimately wasn’t enough, as a tight quarterfinal match against Belgium ended with a 2-1 loss.

2022 World Cup

Although Brazil won back-to-back olympic gold with its dominant performance at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games, Neymar wasn’t there to claim part of the credit. PSG denied him the necessary permission to compete, citing the upcoming Euro 2020 and Copa America tournaments.

Neymar did take the field in a Brazil uniform for the 2022 World Cup. The squad tied with Switzerland to advance from the group stage, then handed South Korea a 4-1 loss to reach the quarterfinals. The close match against Croatia went to a penalty shootout, with the European team emerging victorious. “I am psychologically destroyed,” Neymar shared on social media later. “It is definitely the defeat which has hurt me the most, which left me paralyzed for 10 minutes after the match, after which I burst into tears without being able to stop.”

Neymar has one son, David “Davi” Lucca, and is expecting a daughter. Davi was born in August 2011 to Neymar and his ex-girlfriend Carolina Dantas. In April 2023, Neymar and his girlfriend Bruna Biancardi announced they are expecting. In June, they shared they are having a daughter.

Neymar’s April 2019 physical altercation with a fan who was insulting PSG players isn’t his only off-pitch controversy.

Late that May, as Neymar was in Brazil preparing for the Copa America, Brazilian model Najila Trindade accused the soccer star of raping her in a Paris hotel room earlier in the month. Proclaiming his innocence, Neymar released a series of private messages and intimate photos between them to demonstrate that their relations were consensual. Brazilian authorities investigated but didn’t find enough evidence to charge the soccer star. However, Trindade was charged with procedural fraud for leveling the complaint and subsequently acquitted in November 2020.

Meanwhile, Neymar had been accused of another sexual assault, this time by a Nike employee. According to the woman, an intoxicated Neymar tried to force her to perform oral sex in a New York City hotel room, tried to block her from leaving, and then chased her down the hallway. The incident happened in 2016, though it didn’t go public until May 2021 when The Wall Street Journal reported Neymar’s refusal to cooperate in an investigation led to the termination of his Nike sponsorship in 2020. Neymar denied the allegations and said his deal ended for commercial reasons.

• Everything in my life has happened very early, personally and professionally. I’m always learning; I have to.

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Olympic football gold had always eluded Brazil, until Rio 2016 that is, when an inspirational Neymar captained A Seleção to a long-awaited victory over Germany in the final. The Barcelona star sealed the title himself, scoring the winning penalty in the shootout to send a nation wild. 

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Five Things to Know About Neymar

The brazilian winger is among the most famous soccer stars on the planet, by mike gavin • published november 24, 2022.

Only the biggest stars in the world are known simply by one name. 

Neymar is one of them. 

The Brazilian winger, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, is one of the top soccer players in the world. The 30-year-old Neymar is among the sport’s most prolific goal scorers, having tallied over 400 career goals since making his professional debut in 2009. 

Neymar signed with La Liga’s Barcelona in 2013 after transferring from Brazilian club Santos in exchange for roughly $76 million. He joined the French club Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for what was a then-record $263 million transfer fee.

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Neymar has since become one of just 12 players to have scored more than 100 goals for three different teams (Santos, Barcelona, PSG). 

Here are five things to know about Neymar ahead of what could be his record-breaking World Cup performance. 

Neymar’s full name is Neymar da Silva Santos, Jr.

His first name is well known. The rest of it, not so much. He was named after his father Neymar Santos Sr., a soccer player himself until his early 30s who now manages his son’s career as an advisor. 

Neymar played at the same youth academy Pelé once did

Neymar, with his goal-scoring and playmaking ability, often draws comparisons to Pelé. The two Brazilian stars both began their careers with Santos FC, with Pelé joining the club in 1956 and Neymar in 2003.  

Neymar is the second all-time leading goalscorer in Brazil’s history

He trails only … Pelé. Neymar has scored 74 goals for Brazil in 119 games, which is just three behind Pelé, who had 77 goals in 92 games. Neymar's chase of Pelé’s scoring record will be one of the top storylines entering the 2022 World Cup. 

Neymar was the fourth-highest paid athlete in 2022

Neymar earned $95 million in 2022, according to Forbes , making him the fourth-highest paid athlete of the year. He earned $70 million on the field and $25 million off the field, with endorsements that include Puma and Red Bull. Of the three athletes ahead of Neymar, two are fellow soccer stars. PSG teammate Lionel Messi leads the way with earnings of $130 million and Cristiano Ronaldo is third, behind LeBron James ($121.2 million), at $115 million. 

Neymar is the subject of a Netflix docuseries titled “Neymar: The Perfect Chaos” 

Want to learn more about Neymar? Netflix has you covered. Here’s the logline for the biographical docuseries:

“Beloved worldwide but also a lightning rod for critics, Neymar shares the highs and lows of his personal life and brilliant football career.”

This article tagged under:

Neymar goals, stats, records, claims to fame: How brilliant is the Paris star?

Sunday, February 5, 2023

Article summary

UEFA.com celebrates the Brazilian's achievements so far.

Article top media content

Article body.

Neymar has proved that he is more than just a teen sensation during gilded spells with Barcelona and Paris.

UEFA.com polishes its shrine to the brilliant Brazilian.

What they say

"He can be whatever he wants to be – everything is open for him. He's quick, skilful and excels one-on-one. He has everything." Lionel Messi, Paris forward

"I like Neymar a lot. He is a bit like me. Can he be Messi's heir? Yes, he has everything he needs to become as strong as him." Cristiano Ronaldo, Manchester United forward

"People see him doing tricks and dribbles and think he is only trying to enjoy himself, that he's selfish and only thinks about himself. But when you share a dressing room with him you realise that it's not the case. He's a very kind person; he is interested in others." Kylian Mbappé, Paris forward

"When I am asked about Messi and Cristiano, I say that Neymar is the best for me. It is not just for his goals, but for the ease with which he plays and the confidence he has." Roberto Carlos, former Brazil and Real Madrid defender

"I have always considered him to be one of the best players on the planet, but I now have a much more informed and sharpened eye on his daily investment – on a personal level but also in the interest of the team. He is a great professional and a great player." Christophe Galtier, Paris coach

Current tally

International: 124 appearances, 77 goals UEFA club competition: 80 appearances, 43 goals European domestic competition: 274 appearances, 179 goals

Claims to fame

Santos • Neymar visited Real Madrid as a teenaged Santos trainee, long before he joined their arch-rivals Barcelona. Following a subsequent first-team breakthrough at 17, West Ham and Chelsea made unsuccessful attempts to bring the prodigy to Europe.

• Scored in the two-legged final as Santos lifted the 2011 Copa Libertadores – the first time they had won the South American equivalent of the UEFA Champions League since Pelé spearheaded their 1963 triumph.

• In 2012, Santos great Pelé said Neymar – then 20 – was a better player than Messi: "There's always this Maradona comparison, saying he's better than Pelé. Now some are saying Messi is better than Pelé. Well, he has to be better than Neymar first, which he isn't yet."

Barcelona • A 56,500 crowd came to greet Neymar at the Camp Nou when he signed for Barcelona in June 2013. Messi liked the look of him too: "He is still very young and joyful. He lives happily: a kid without malice."

• Scored and set up the winner in his first Clásico – a 2-1 success against Madrid on 26 October 2013.

• After failing to find the net in his first five UEFA Champions League games, he hit a hat-trick in his sixth: a 6-1 thrashing of Celtic on 11 December 2013 .

• Became the first man to score in both Copa Libertadores and UEFA Champions League final victories, getting the third in Barcelona's 3-1 win over Juventus in 2015. Was joint-top scorer in that competition with ten goals, level with Messi and Ronaldo.

• Struck 39 times as Barcelona's Messi, Suárez and Neymar (aka 'MSN') front three scored a Spanish-record combined total of 122 goals in 2014/15. However, 2015/16 brought his best Liga tally: 24.

• Reached 100 goals for Barcelona in his 177th match – a 3-1 win against Granada on 2 April 2017.

Paris • Moving to Paris, Neymar became the most expensive player ever. "We want to help Neymar become the best player in the world," said then-coach Unai Emery.

• Supplied a goal and an assist on his debut, a 3-0 success at Guingamp on 13 August 2017. Lucas Deaux did not enjoy marking him. "I'll struggle to sleep," he said afterwards. "I have never seen a player like this before." • The Eiffel Tower was lit up in Neymar's honour before his home debut on 20 August, and Neymar did not disappoint, scoring twice and producing an outrageous piece of skill in a 6-2 mauling of Toulouse.

• Ended 2017/18, his first Paris season, with 28 goals from 30 games – and a domestic treble. Won Ligue 1 in three of his subsequent four seasons at Paris, picking up a second treble in 2019/20.

• Helped Paris to reach their first UEFA Champions League final in 2019/20, though they lost 1-0 to Bayern in the decider.

• Scored his third UEFA Champions League hat-trick in December 2020, against İstanbul Başakşehir, to move on to 20 goals in the competition for Paris. He became the first player to score 20 goals for two clubs in the competition (21 for Barcelona, 20 for Paris).

• Those goals took him to 41 in UEFA club competitions, overtaking Sonny Anderson's Brazilian-record tally of 40 . Those 41 goals meant he also became Brazil's all-time top UEFA Champions League scorer.

• His final two goals in 2021 were in a 3-2 win away to Bordeaux in Ligue 1 and took his career total at club and international level to 400.

• Became Paris's fourth-top scorer of all time in September 2022, netting the only goal – his 110th for the club – at home to Brest in Ligue 1.

Brazil • Then-Brazil coach Dunga ignored a 14,000-signature petition by choosing not to take the uncapped Neymar to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The 18-year-old later made his point by scoring on his debut in a 2-0 friendly win against the United States in August of that year.

• Suffered a cracked vertebra in the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup on home soil, thus missing the 7-1 semi-final defeat by Germany – perhaps the most devastating loss in Brazilian football.

• Struck the fastest goal in Olympic football history, just 14 seconds into Brazil's 6-0 defeat of Honduras in the 2016 quarter-finals in Rio, the hosts going on to win the tournament.

• Became the seventh player to earn a century of Brazil caps, a 1-1 friendly draw against Senegal in October 2019 his 100th appearance. Cafu (142), Roberto Carlos (125), Dani Alves (105), Lúcio (105), Claudio Taffarel (101) and Robinho (100) all beat him to the 100 mark.

• Scored twice and had four assists as Brazil reached the 2021 Copa América final. Neymar was named in the Team of the Tournament as a result but Tite's side were beaten 1-0 by rivals Argentina in the decider.

• Registered eight goals and eight assists in ten appearances as the Seleção topped CONMEBOL qualifying for the 2022 World Cup.

• Became Brazil's all-time joint-top marksman during the 2022 World Cup, equalling Pelé's record tally of 77 goals. He missed two games during the group stage through injury but struck against South Korea in the round of 16 and against Croatia in Brazil's quarter-final defeat to draw level with O Rei.

What you might not know

• Neymar has loads of tattoos, some of which celebrate his family: his sister Rafaella's face is tattoed on his arm, his son's name Davi Lucca on his calf. Following Brazil's football triumph at the Olympics, he got Rio 2016 emblazoned on his arm.

• A restaurant in Vincennes, near Paris, created a 'Neymar Burger' in his honour. Ingredients: steak, potatoes, bacon, cheddar, salsa, tomatoes, salad, onions and a side order of French fries.

• Has a sideline in acting, appearing opposite Samuel L Jackson in 2017's XXX: The Return of Xander Cage after a series of walk-on parts in Brazilian soap operas and TV dramas.

• His dog Poker is named after one of his favourite card games.

• Was nicknamed 'Batman' at Barcelona, less for his love of the DC comics character than for his adventures after dark – Neymar being renowned for liking the city's nightlife, though he stuck to club rules.

What he says

"I came to Paris to be the best player in the world and to turn PSG into the best club in the world, which includes a Champions League trophy. We're ready and fear no one."

"Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are both my heroes. If I can take a little from each player's game and make it my own, I would be very happy."

"I would go into the dressing room [after joining Barcelona], look to one side and see Messi. Then I'd look the other way and see Xavi, Iniesta, Piqué, Dani Alves. I thought I was in a video game! One day I was playing with them on the console, the next I was one of them."

"There is no pressure when you are making a dream come true."

What he might achieve yet

• Lead Paris to UEFA Champions League glory. The club's sole continental success to date came with the 1995/96 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. The only French side to have won Europe's top club prize were Marseille in 1992/93. Paris were runners-up in 2020; can they go one better?

• Become Paris's top European club competition scorer. With 22 goals, he is in third place behind Edinson Cavani (30) and Mbappé, who tops the list with 34.

• Become Brazil's all-time top appearance-maker. His total of 124 caps is fourth best and 18 behind Cafu.

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Neymar Jr. Biography, Childhood, Career, Life, Facts

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior (born Feb 5, 1992), nicknamed ‘Juninho’, is a Brazilian professional football player. He plays forward for Paris Saint-Germain (French Club) and the Brazilian National team. Brazil is known to have produced some of the best players, the game of football has ever seen. From the legendary Pele, the sleek and skilful Ronaldo to the energetic and dynamic Ronaldinho, Brazil got it all. Well, the aye days of these acts are long gone, but Brazil still has one of the best in the game proving his worth to the world showing what sort of new-age player he is. In our Neymar Jr. biography facts, childhood, career and personal life, we tell you all that you need to know about the star as he sets the pace of football in the 21 st century.

Other highlights includes Neymar Jr’s accomplishments, highlights and awards.

Table of Contents

Neymar Jr Biography Quick Facts, Age

Below are some of the biography quick facts that you should know about Neymar Jr.

Neymar Jr Childhood and Early Life

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior was born on February 5, 1992, to his father, Neymar Santos Sr and his mother, Nadine Santos at Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Neymar Jr. passion for football probably was ignited by his father who is an ex-footballer, his father plays a prominent role in Neymar Jr’s life, managing his finances as well as offering practical advice. Neymar was a fan of futsal as well as football at a tender age. Neymar Jr. relocated to Sao Vicente in 2003. At Sao Vincente, Neymar began playing youth football with Portuguesa Santista before moving on to Santos FC. Neymar had a successful run at Santos which saw his paycheck increase, thus improving his family’s standard of living. When he turned 17, Neymar Jr. signed his first professional contract. He was promoted to Santos FC first team and signed his first sponsorship deal.

Neymar Jr Club Career

Santos (2003–2013).

Neymar began playing for Santos youth academy in 2003 when he was 11.

When he turned 14, Neymar travelled to Spain to play for Madrid Youth team during the time players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham and lot more played for the team, he finally made his professional début for Santos at age 17, in a game against Oeste where he was brought in the last thirty minutes of the game. Neymar scored 14 goals in his début season for Santos first team, an impressive one for a 17-year old. Neymar was a sensation for the Brazilian league winning lots of awards, including the 2011 Puskas Award, 2011 South American Footballer of the Year, he also was a finalist in the 2012 Puskas Award and also defended his South American Footballer of the Year Award, claiming it for a second consecutive time in 2012.

FC Barcelona (2013–2017)

Neymar signed a five-year deal with Barcelona, neither the transfer fee nor the personal terms of the deal were revealed. Neymar was officially unveiled on June 3, 2013, by Barcelona after passing a medical test and signing the contract which was set to keep him at Camp Nou until June 2018. Neymar was present in Barcelona home ground to a record turnout of 56,500 fans for a Brazilian player. Barcelona club vice-president indicated that Neymar transfer fee was 57.1 million euros and his release clause set at 190 million euros.

Neymar’s transfer to Camp Nou brought a lot of excitement, but it also had some challenges attached in January 2014, the prosecutor’s office in Madrid, began investigations into the amount paid by Barcelona for Neymar’s transfer. Documents submitted to authorities indicated contradictory details. The investigation led to the resignation of club’s president on the 23 rd of January 2014. The next day, it was revealed that Barcelona paid 86.2 million euros for Neymar’s transfer. Neymar’s parent received 40 million euros from the transfer fee. Barcelona was later charged with tax fraud. Aside from that, Neymar had a successful campaign with Barcelona, forging an attacking trio with teammates Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi, dubbed “MSN” an acronym for Messi, Suarez and Neymar.

During his time with Barcelona, Neymar emerged as one of the three finalists for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d’Or alongside Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, which he came third. The attacking trio Neymar forge with his teammates proved to be beneficial to Barcelona as well as Neymar’s career as the trio finished 2015 with season with 122 goals and surpassed that in their 2016 campaign with 131 goals.

PSG (2017–present)

On August 3, 2017, Neymar shocked the world with his 222 million euros transfer to French giants Paris Saint-Germain. The transfer had a string of issues as Barcelona requested payment of club bonuses, damages worth 8.5 million euros as well as 10% arrears. PSG was requested to pay the aforementioned fees. Despite all this Neymar debuted for PSG and continued to continue in his successful form. He forged a new attacking trio with teammates Kylian Mbappe and Edison Cavani. Neymar had continued to increase his worth with wonderful performances.

Neymar Jr National Team Career

Despite calls for Neymar to be included in the 2010 World Cup squad due to his performances for the U-17 team at the 2009 U-17 World Cup, he was omitted. He, however, made his début for the Brazil Senior team in July, in a friendly match against the United State.

In the 2014 World Cup on home soil, Neymar was expected to lead the Brazilian team to the tournament victory, but that was cut short after he was injured in a quarterfinal match against Colombia. Brazil went on to be knocked out of the tournament. But Neymar received the bronze boot for being the third highest goal scorer. He was also shortlisted in the 10-man list for FIFA’s Golden Ball award. Neymar was also named to the World Cup All Star XI.

After being enlisted to be part of the three-over 23 players in the Brazilian team to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro summer Olympics, Neymar led Brazil to Olympic Gold on home soil. Despite his success, Neymar was criticized for his behaviour on and off the pitch by ex-brazil players. He was also described as not worthy of the team’s captaincy. After the tournament, Neymar renounced his captaincy.

In the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Neymar was shortlisted as one of the players. Neymar was heavily criticized for play-acting and continual falling, BBC sport wrote with regard Neymar “despite his good performance, there is still a sense that he remains widely unpopular among neutrals due to his petulance and the play-acting”. Brazilian newspaper O’Globo wrote “Neymar has charmed Brazil, but annoyed the world” Brazil were eliminated out of the world cup in the quarter-finals.

Neymar Jr Personal Life

• Neymar has a son, Davi Lucca with his ex-girlfriend Carolina Dantas.
• He also has a close relationship with his sister Rafaella Beckran, tattooing her face on his arm, while she tattooed his eyes on her arm. Neymar is a Christian.
• He pays the 10% tithes and calls Kaka his religious role model.
• He organizes a charity match with Brazilian footballer Nene in Nene’s hometown of Jundiai, to raise food for needy families.
• Neymar began signing sponsorships deals at the age of 17. In March 2011, he signed an 11-year contract with American sportswear company Nike. Neymar has signed sponsorships deals with Volkswagen, Unilever, Santander, Lupo and many more.
• In March 2011, Neymar was paid $2-4 million by Panasonic for his services.
• Neymar is ranked the third highest paid footballer in 2018, with an earning of $95 million.
• He stared in 2014 adverts for Beats with global stars, Thierry Henry and Luis Suarez.
• He appeared as himself in the 2016 movie xXx: Return of Xander Cage.
• Neymar was included in Time magazine’s list of influential personalities in April 2017.

Neymar Jr Achievements and Awards

Tournaments won.

• Supercopa (2013/14)
• Copa del Rey (14/15, 15/16, 16/17)
• Coupe de la Ligue (17/18)
• Coupe de France (17/18)
• Ligue 1 (17/18)
• Brazilian Cup (2010)
• FIFA Club World Cup (2012, 2015)
• Confederation Cup (2013)
• Under-20 South American Championship Winner (2011)
• UEFA Supercup (2015/16)
• Olympic gold (2016)
• Recopa Sudamericana (2011/12)
• Copa Libertadores (2010/11)
• Champions League Winner (2014/15)
• Laliga (2014/15, 2015/16)
• UEFA Champions League (2014/15)

Individual Awards

• UEFA Champions League Top Goalscorer (2015)
• South America Footballer of the Year (2011, 2012)
• Confederation Cup Golden Ball (2013)
• Brazil Footballer of the Year (2011)

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CAREER NEYMAR At FC Barcelona

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL TOURNAMENTS

• World cup 2014 (fourth) 2018
• Copa America 2011
• Olympic Games 2012 (silver), 2016 (Gold)
• Confederations Cup 2013 (champion)
• U20 Campeonato Sudamericano 2011 (champion), U17 World cup 2009
• Tumiaru (1998-1999)
• Asa Portguesa (1999-2000)
• Gremetal (2000-2003)
• Portuguesa Santista (2003-2004)
• Santos Inferior teams (2004-2009)
• Santos (2009-2013)
• FC Barcelona (2013-2017)
• PSG (2017-2023)
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Neymar: The Barcelona years

Neymar's time at barcelona ended as it started - with a transfer saga - but plenty of memorable moments happened in between..

On Friday, Neymar will be presented as a Paris Saint-Germain player following his stunning world-record €222million transfer from Barcelona.

During his time with the Catalan giants the 25-year-old Brazil forward established himself as one of football's foremost global stars, picking up a host of major honours along the way.

But his time in Spain was also hindered by protracted legal wrangling over his 2013 move from Santos to Camp Nou.

Here, we offer a detailed timeline breakdown of a memorable four-year period that ended in abrupt and blockbusting fashion.

2013 January: Amid reports of having a pre-contract agreement in place to leave Santos and join Barcelona, Neymar tells Uruguayan newspaper El Pais: "I have no agreement with Barcelona or anyone else." March: Alongside Barca, Chelsea and Real Madrid are all reported to be in the running. Neymar does little to disappoint them. "I dream of playing in Europe for a big club like Barcelona, Real Madrid or Chelsea," he tells Esporte Espactacular. Nevertheless, a possible preference is shown as he adds: "Who wouldn't dream about playing alongside [Lionel] Messi, Xavi and [Andres] Iniesta. They're all great players." April: Neymar's father says his son will "close a chapter in his life" after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil by leaving for Europe after the tournament. May 24: Santos announce they have received two offers for Neymar. May 25: Neymar announces he will sign for Barcelona. The following day, ahead of a final appearance for Santos against Flamengo, he cries during the Brazilian national anthem pre-match.

June 3: Neymar presented as a Barcelona player at Camp Nou after signing a five-year contract. Barca claim transfer fee to be €57.1million. August: Makes competitive debut as a second-half substitute for Alexis Sanchez in the opening 7-0 LaLiga rout against Levante. Neymar's first Barca goal follows as he heads in Dani Alves' cross to equalise in the Supercopa de Espana first leg against Atletico Madrid at the Vicente Calderon. Gerardo Martino's side prevail on away goals. September 24: First LaLiga goal in a 4-1 win over Real Sociedad. October 26: On target in maiden Clasico before setting up Sanchez for the decisive goal in a 2-1 win. December 11: Opens Champions League account with a hat-trick in a 6-1 thumping of Celtic.

2014 January 23: Barcelona president Sandro Rosell resigns after a Spanish court decides to investigate the club for alleged misappropriation of funds in relation to the Neymar deal. Rosell describes the allegations as "unfair and reckless", while maintaining Barca "acted correctly". The following month the club are charged with tax fraud over the deal. February 24: Barca make a complementary tax declaration of €13.5m "to cover any potential interpretation made concerning the contracts signed in the transfer process for Neymar." Maintain original payment was in line with tax obligations. May/June: Barcelona finish the season without a major trophy, costing Martino his job. Neymar ends with 15 goals in all competitions and adds another four on Brazil's run to the World Cup semi-finals on home soil. Injury rules him out of the 7-1 semi-final humiliation at the hands of Germany. September 27: Hat-trick in 6-0 win over Granada begins a run of scoring in six consecutive games. October 25: Barcelona field MSN for the first time. Messi and Luis Suarez combine for Neymar to score the opening goal at in El Clasico but Real Madrid run out 3-1 winners at the Santiago Bernabeu.

2015 January 4: Neymar and Messi are left on the bench as Barca go down 1-0 at Real Sociedad, piling pressure on boss Luis Enrique and prompting widespread reports of dressing-room unrest. A stunning turnaround followed. April 21: Hits a brace against PSG in the Champions League quarter-finals to move on to 30 goals for the season. May 17: Barcelona clinch La Liga with a 1-0 win at Atletico Madrid. May 30: Neymar scores the second goal in a 3-1 Copa del Rey final win over Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou. June 6: By rounding off the scoring in the 3-1 win over Juventus in Berlin with his 39th of the season, Neymar becomes the first player to net in final victories in both the Champions League and the Copa Libertadores. Ten goals made him the joint top scorer in the competition in 2014-15 alongside Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. MSN finish the campaign with 122 goals.

October 17: Scores four goals in a 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano as Messi sits out injured. November 30: Shortlisted for the FIFA Ballon d'Or and subsequently comes third behind Messi and Ronaldo. December 30: Helps Barca to a 3-0 victory over River Plate in the FIFA Club World Cup final.

2016 March 10: Barcelona announce the club, president Josep Maria Bartomeu and Rosell will not face trial over allegations they defrauded the Spanish tax authorities during the Neymar transfer from Santos. May 22: Neymar closes the season with an extra-time goal in the 2-0 Copa del Rey final win over Sevilla, having scored 24 times as Barca retained LaLiga. This marked Neymar's most prolific season in Spain's top flight, while MSN plundered 131 across all competitions. June 14: Bartomeu confirms Barcelona have reached a settlement regarding the tax saga stemming from the Neymar-Santos saga. July 1: Neymar agrees new five-year Barcelona contract running until 2021, with a buyout clause set at an initial €200m. He eventually signs his deal in October. August 21: Scores in normal time and converts the decisive penalty as Brazil claim Olympic gold against Germany at Rio 2016.

November 23: Spanish prosecutors seek two-year prison sentence – although time in jail is highly unlikely under the country's laws - and €10m fine for Neymar on corruption charges regarding the Santos deal. The proceedings relate to a complaint made by Brazilian investment group DIS, with the same punishment sought for Neymar's father and Rosell.

2017 March 8: Neymar scores a late free-kick and penalty during a virtuoso performance to inspire Barcelona to a sensational 6-5 comeback aggregate win over PSG at Camp Nou. Their Champions League campaign would end in the next round – Juventus besting them in the quarter-finals. April 2: Brings up 100th Barcelona goal in his 177th appearance in a 4-1 win over Granada. May 4: Spain's national court opens trial proceedings against Neymar, members of the player's family, Rosell and Bartomeu on charges of alleged fraud and corruption relating to the transfer from Santos. May 27: Barca gain consolation for missing out on LaLiga to Real Madrid with a 3-1 triumph against Alaves to lift a third consecutive Copa del Rey in Luis Enrique's final match at the helm. Neymar scores his 105th and final competitive goal for the club.

July 1: Under the terms of his most recent contract, Neymar's release clause increases to €222m. In the final three years of the contract it is pencilled in to stand at €250m. July 17: Barca technical secretary Robert Fernandez wades into the transfer saga linking Neymar with PSG and confidently declares "I don't think that's going to happen." July 20: Bartomeu expresses his confidence that Neymar will stay, saying: "These clauses are impossible to activate if you want to comply with Financial Fair Play." July 30: International Champions Cup win over Madrid in Miami proves to be Neymar's last in a Barcelona shirt. August 2: Following mounting speculation, Barcelona announce Neymar has informed them of his wish to leave the club and he says farewell to his team-mates at their training base. August 3: Despite resistance to the move from LaLiga, Barca accept a payment of €222m to release Neymar from his contract, paving the way for PSG to announce the world-record capture later that evening.

Paris Saint Germain FC

FC Barcelona

Neymar Height, Weight, Age, Girlfriend, Wife, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Neymar

Neymar’s Childhood Photos

Neymar’s Car Accident

Neymar’s childhood house

• He inherited football from his father who used to be a professional football player, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise as he encouraged Neymar to play football when he was around 3 years old, after which he started playing street football and futsal.

• As a kid, Neymar used to be a fun-loving and hyperactive boy, who was most of the time seen playing football and video games.

Betinho, first coach of Neymar

Neymar (second from right, sitting) with his Portuguesa Santista youth club teammates

• His father used to be so much busy while doing his multiple jobs to support his son’s football career, that he wasn’t able to see him play in his early football career.

Neymar when he played for the Santos Youth team

Neymar for Santos FC (left) playing against Lionel Messi for FC Barcelona (right)

• Around 14,000 fans requested and signed a petition and demanded the then Brazil team manager, Dunga, to include Neymar for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, but he wasn’t picked.

Neymar with his newly born son Davi Lucca

• He celebrated his 20th birthday in style as he scored his 100th career goal that day.

Neymar during his signing with FC Barcelona

Neymar on the cover of TIME Magazine

• He suffered from ‘anaemia,’ deficiency of red cells or of haemoglobin in the blood while playing for ‘FC Barcelona’ in his debut year.

Neymar (in yellow) with Juan Zuniga (on his back) which ruled him out of the 2014 FIFA World Cup

• He became the captain of Brazil in September 2014 and captained them till 2016.

Luis Suárez, Neymar, and Lionel Messi (left to right) when they played for FC Barcelona

Neymar with the 2016 Rio Olympics gold medal

• On 2 April 2017, he scored his 100th goal for FC Barcelona during his 177th match for the club.
• In July 2017, Neymar expressed his desire to leave FC Barcelona. Rumours circulated in the media that he wanted to get out of Messi’s shadow.

Neymar during the Neymar Jr Five tournament

Neymar after signing with PSG

• During the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, he was trolled for his over-acting on the football field.

Neymar keeps rolling rolling rolling rolling (🎥: @rayrod747 ) pic.twitter.com/AxekdKq34y — Troll Football Media (@Troll__Footbal) June 30, 2018

Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, and Edinson Cavani (left to right) when they played for PSG

• On 8 May 2021, he extended his contract with PSG till 2025. On 6 November 2021, he scored the 400th goal of his career.
• On 9 December 2022, during the match against Croatia in the quarterfinal of the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Russia, he became the joint-highest goalscorer for Brazil by scoring his 77th goal, tying him with Pele .

Neymar after signing with Al-Hilal Club

• His transfer to Al-Hilal made the spotlight due to his demands from the Saudi club. Reportedly, he demanded three luxury cars,  a Bentley Continental GP, an Aston Martin DBX and a Lamborghini Huracan, four Mercedes G Wagons for his entourage, and a Mercedes van with a driver available round the clock.

Neymar being honoured after becoming the highest goalscorer for Brazil

• He was deregistered by Al-Hilal in January 2024 for the 2023-24 season after suffering an injury while being on national duty.

Neymar with Toiss group

Neymar with Neymarzetes poster

• He has made cameo appearances in music videos like- “Eu Quero Tchu, Eu Quero Tcha” by João Lucas & Marcelo (2012), and “Pais do Futebol” by MC Guime (2013).

Neymar Comic Series

• He had scored twice the amount of goals than what Ronaldo had at the same age of 23.

Neymar announcing the start of his music career

• Neymar has played in various positions. He has played as a second striker, winger, and an attacking midfielder. Brazil manager Tite often used him as a central strike in false 9, an unconventional lone striker or centre-forward role from deep midfield.

Neymar with Ronaldinho

• Neymar’s career has been plagued by many injuries which have often put him out of the field for many months. When he joined Barcelona in 2013, doctors advised him to gain weight to cope with the physical nature of European football (soccer).
• His antics on the field have been criticised by many players, coaches and fans. French footballer Eric Cantona once said that Neymar was a great actor and called him a wheeled suitcase that turns around for hours and hours on a gentle push.

Neymar with his 100 per cent Jesus Headband

Neymar playing with his dogs

Neymar’s Twitter post after buying two Bored Ape NFTs

Poster of Neymar’s metaverse

• In an interview, he named Kyle Walker, a British footballer, as the toughest opponent he ever faced.
• Many critics have called Neymar the biggest footballer who never won any Ballon d’Or or World Cup. He has been called ‘the prince who never became a king’ by many media outlets.
• He has been associated with many charity programs of various organisations such as FIFA’s 11 Against Ebola campaign.

Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo featured on the cover of FIFA 19

• In 20221, he was featured in a documentary series Neymar and the Line of King, streamed on DAZN and a documentary series in 2022, titled Neymar: The Perfect Chaos was released on Netflix which was based on his life.
• He often celebrates his goals and other achievements with dance.
• In an interview, he said that had he not been a footballer, he would have become a musician. Interestingly, he cannot play any musical instrument.

Neymar during a project of his charity group

Neymar during a still from the film XXX Return of Xander Cage

Neymar playing poker

Neymar showing his Puma shoes

A few photos of Neymar drinking beer

• He likes playing basketball whenever he gets time away from football and has been spotted in various NBA matches.

References/Sources: [ + ]

• Date of birth/Age: Feb 5, 1992 (32)

• Height: 1,75 m
• Position: Left Winger
• Caps/Goals: 128 / 79

Last update: Dec 15, 2023

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Neymar fact sheet :

Full name : Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior Birth date: February 5, 1992 Age : 25 years old Birth place : Mogi das Cruzes (São Paulo), Brazil Nationality : Brazilian Height : 1,74m (5’7”) Weight : 65kg (143.3 lbs) Field position : Forward First professiona club : Santos FC Shirt/jersey number in Brazil and Barcelona : #11 Professional club career debut : March 7, 2009 – Itápolis vs Santos FC Brazilian National Team debut : July 26, 2010 – United States vs Brazil Current club : Paris-Saint Germain (since 2017) Nicknames : Joia, Juninho

Neymar wearing Barcelona’s new jersey in 2013-2014

Neymar biography and profile

Neymar arrived to Santos back in 2003, to start playing for the club’s youth categories. He started becoming popular very early and way before turning a professional player. When he turned 14, he traveled to Madrid in Spain in order to go through some trials at the Merengues and according to the reports he was immediately accepted. However, Santos FC managed to hold on to their crown jewelry because the Brazilian club president at the time, Marcelo Teixeira , offered 1 million euros to Neymar ‘s father on the condition that the prodigious player stayed at the club until he turned professional.

Neymar had his debut in Santos shortly after he turned 17 (March 7, 2009), in a away match against Itápolis . His first goal as professional player arrived one week later on March 15 (2009), in a 3-0 win against Mogi Mirim . During his first years in the first team, Neymar shared most of the media focus with his good friend and teammate until 2012, Paulo Henrique Ganso , who is now playing for São Paulo . Neymar didn’t get any silverware during his first year as a professional footballer, since Santos finished 2nd in the “ Campeonato Paulista ” and 12nd in the “ Campeonato Brasileiro “.

In 2010, Santos won the “ Campeonato Paulista ” for the first time since Neymar had joined the squad and together with Robinho , Paulo Henrique Ganso and André , the team was often called as “ Meninos da Vila “, in a clear reference to the fact that several key players had been developed in the club’s youth ranks. Later that year, Neymar won his second career title and this time it was the “ Copa do Brasil ” trophy (the Brazilian Cup ). The Brazilian forward became the competition’s top goalscorer, with 11 goals. His performances were already impressing a lot of scouts from European big clubs by then and during the Old Continent’s summer transfer season in August, Chelsea has allegedly made a move on Neymar  that would end up failing miserably after Pelé ‘s intervention. The all-time legend talked with the Brazilian youngster and convinced him that the best decision at that time was to stay put in Santos . The Brazilian club finished 8th in the “ Campeonato Brasileiro ” at the end of that year.

Neymar goal celebration wallpaper in Santos

The 2011 year kicked off with all attention turned on to Neymar Jr . He was already being regarded as the best footballer playing in Brazil and there was a big amount of expectation to see how he would keep improving in the months and years ahead. Santos won the “ Campeonato Paulista ” for the second year in a row, the club’s 19th state title. However, the biggest accomplishment took place in the “ Copa dos Libertadores “, with Santos beating Peñarol in the final and Neymar scoring one of the winning goals, during the second leg 2-1 win. The Brazilian club were chasing that trophy for 48 years… Neymar scored the best goal of his short career that year, in a game against Ronaldinho and Atletico Paranaense . That goal allowed him to win the FIFA Ferenc Puskás award for the best goal of 2011, in a ceremony that was held a few months later in Switzerland , in January of 2012. Before that and deep in December 2011, Santos faced Barcelona in the FIFA Club World Cup and basically got crushed by the Spanish giants, with an impressive 4-0 final result. Neymar recognized that Barcelona had a far superior team and that his side had been taught how to play football that day. That was probably the first big step Neymar has made to open the doors towards signing for Barcelona sooner or later.

On August 24 of 2011, Neymar became a father for the first time in his life, at the age of 19. The mother was 17 and despite asking for her anonymity on a first stage, her identity was later revealed as being Carolina Dantas . Neymar son was a boy and was called Davi Lucca , but the Brazilian player’s relationship with Carolina was far from perfect, leaving few alternatives than paying the mother a monthly child support pension of 30.000 reais (roughly 13.000 US dollars). With the Brazilian National Team , Neymar had his first taste of participating in an important tournament with the Copa America, in July of 2011. Things didn’t go as the Brazilian people certainly expected and the “ Canarinha ” got knocked out in the competition’s quarter-finals, in the penalty-shout decision against Paraguay .

Neymar with 17 years old, in Santos FC

In 2012 Neymar led Santos to some more success in the “ Campeonato Paulista “, for the third straight time. On May of that year, Neymar became Santos highest goalscorer since the “ Pelé era”, after scoring another 2 goals against Bolivar, in the “ Copa dos Libertadores ” and reaching his 106th goal for the club. Santos wouldn’t get lucky in that competiton though and got thrown out by Corinthians , in a two-leg  semi-finals. The second trophy Neymar won in 2012 was the “ Recopa Sul-Americana “, after beating Universidad de Chile in the final.

As for 2013, we can safely say that it definitely allowed Neymar to also confirm his star player status in the Brazilian National Team . The Confederations Cup was awaited with high expectation and Neymar didn’t defraud anyone, especially in the final against Spain . Brazil beat the current European and World champions and Neymar performed at his very best level. However, Neymar ‘s summer of 2013 will always be remembered for the time when he finally signed for Barcelona and got to initiate his journey in Europe . The Spanish club paid 50 million euros for the Brazilian star, for a 5-year deal that will allow Neymar to earn 7 million euros per year, plus a 1 million euros bonus if he ends up winning the FIFA Balon d’Or , an award which his current teammate Lionel Messi has won for the past 4 straight years and with that always leaving Cristiano Ronaldo behind him. Earlier in the year, Neymar has also announced that he was on a relationship with a new girlfriend, the Brazilian actress from Globo , Bruna Marquezine .

Neymar wallpaper, playing for Brazil in the Confederations Cup in 2013

Neymar and Lionel Messi hugging each other

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Facts about neymar santos, neymar biography.

Neymar is the agile soccer forward who starred for Brazil at the 2014 World Cup. The 222 million Euro transfer fee for his move from Barcelona to Paris St-Germain in 2017 smashed the world record.

A child prodigy in a nation of child prodigies, Neymar made his professional debut for the Brazilian club Santos at age 17, in 2009. He quickly became known for his speed, elusive cutting and prodigious scoring with both feet. In 2013 he joined FC Barcelona of Spain’s La Liga, playing alongside Lionel Messi and becoming as famous in Europe as he was in Brazil.

Handsome as well as effective, Neymar signed deals with global sponsors ranging from Nike and Volkswagen to Red Bull. By 2014 The Sydney Morning Herald was saying Neymar had “the hairstyle and swagger of a carefree rock star,” and Forbes reported that he would earn $33.6 million that year as the world’s 16th highest-paid athlete. He was clearly Brazil’s premiere star at the 2014 World Cup, wearing the coveted #10 jersey for the national team. However, he was knocked out of the tournament with a fractured vertebrae after taking a knee in the back from Columbian player Juan Zuniga during Brazil’s quarterfinal win over Columbia.

Neymar continued to star with Barcelona until 2017, when he made a surprise move to Paris St-Germain. His new club paid £200 million, or about 220 million Euros, to acquire him. According to a BBC report on the signing, Neymar “will earn 45m euros (£40.7m) a year – 865,000 euros (£782,000) a week – before tax from the initial five-year deal, a total outlay of £400m” for Paris St-Germain.

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4 Good Links

• Goal.com: Neymar Stats, facts and player news from the soccer site
• Neymar: Paris St-Germain sign Barcelona forward for world record 222m euros 2017 report from the BBC
• Neymar: The Brazil Star With the Weight of a Nation on His Shoulders 2014 story from the Sydney Morning Herald
• Neymar on Twitter He tweets in Portuguese, natch

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Does Neymar Speak English? – Everything you Need to Know

Meet  David De’ Ath , founder, editor, and writer at Wonderful World English. With his extensive background as an English teacher, David provides valuable insights and practical tips on ESL for students and teachers alike.

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, commonly known as Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer with a global fanbase.

Language skills can be an important part of a successful international athlete’s repertoire, and there is often curiosity about Neymar’s ability to communicate in English.

While Portuguese is Neymar’s primary language, he has developed a basic proficiency in English.

His English language skills allow him to interact with teammates and participate in various events, although he is not considered fluent.

Communicating effectively is crucial for athletes who play in multi-national teams.

Neymar has demonstrated his linguistic abilities, learning enough English to engage with other English-speaking players on his team.

This level of understanding suggests he has invested time into learning the language, which can enhance both his personal and professional interactions on the global stage.

Neymar’s Early Life and Language Background

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior’s journey into football greatness began in Brazil, where he honed his sporting skills and developed a diverse linguistic background.

He was born into a nation with a rich football legacy and was raised speaking Portuguese, the country’s official language.

Birth and Hometown

Born:  February 5, 1992 Hometown:  Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil

Neymar was born in the bustling city of Mogi das Cruzes in São Paulo, Brazil.

This locale provided a cultural backdrop that influenced his early life and football career.

Initial Football Steps at Santos FC

Joined Santos FC Academy:  2003 Professional Debut:  2009

Neymar joined the youth academy of Brazilian football club Santos FC at the age of 11.

The club, based in the coastal city of Santos, played an instrumental role in shaping his early football skills.

At this reputable academy, Neymar’s talent began to flourish, marking the start of a remarkable career.

Multilingual Upbringing

First Language:  Portuguese Additional Languages:  Spanish, some English

While Portuguese is Neymar’s native tongue, he was surrounded by diverse cultural influences from an early age.

Through football, he was exposed to other languages, such as Spanish, owing to the sport’s popularity in Spanish-speaking countries.

Additionally, he picked up bits of English, further showcasing his wide linguistic exposure.

Neymar’s multilingual skills have been beneficial in his football career and personal life, enabling him to communicate with teammates, coaches, and fans around the world.

Another global footballing superstar who many people often wonder whether he can speak English is Lionel Messi!

The link below has it all for insights into the Argentinian’s English ability!

Related: Is Messi Learning English? – Everything You Need to Know (2024)

Neymar’s Professional Career and Language Proficiency

Neymar Jr.’s ascent to football stardom has been marked by his spectacular on-field performance and his capacity to adapt to different linguistic environments following his club transfers.

Club Transfers and Language Acquisition

Neymar began his professional career at  Santos FC , where Portuguese was his primary language as a native Brazilian.

His move to  Barcelona  in 2013 meant adapting to Spanish and potentially Catalan, given the region’s distinct language.

Subsequent transfer to  Paris Saint-Germain , a club in a French-speaking nation, would have necessitated some understanding of French even though the PSG locker room is known to house many international players, facilitating a multilingual environment where English and Spanish are also commonplace.

International Career and Communication

Representing the  Brazil national team  has placed Neymar on a global stage, competing in leagues like the UEFA Champions League and generating interaction with fellow athletes from varied linguistic backgrounds.

Communication in English would be advantageous during international tournaments and press conferences and while interacting with fans and media from around the globe.

Public Persona and Media Interactions

Neymar’s presence extends beyond the pitch.

He has a significant following on platforms like Twitter and Instagram, where he shares content in multiple languages and engages with an international fan base.

His  sponsorship deals and endorsements  often necessitate the use of English, illustrating a requisite proficiency to endorse products to an English-speaking audience.

Engagements in interviews and at  press conferences  likely highlight his capability in English, complementing his football expertise and contributing to his global appeal.

While Portuguese is his native language, Neymar has developed basic English proficiency, essential for his interactions in the international football arena.

Neymar’s journey began in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil, where he was immersed in Portuguese-speaking culture.

He joined Santos FC’s youth academy at a young age and started his football career in a monolingual environment.

However, his move to clubs in different linguistic regions, including Barcelona in Spain and Paris Saint-Germain in France, exposed him to Spanish and French, broadening his linguistic exposure.

Though Neymar’s primary language remains Portuguese, his foray into English has been driven by the practical needs of communicating with teammates, coaches, and fans worldwide, especially while representing the Brazilian national team on international stages like the UEFA Champions League.

His ability to communicate in English, albeit not fluently, is crucial for his engagements in press conferences, interviews, and interactions with a global fan base on social media platforms.

Overall, Neymar’s linguistic skills reflect the life of a modern international athlete, where language proficiency complements sporting talent, enabling effective communication and enhancing personal and professional relationships globally.

We hope you found value in this information.

Have a wonderful day!

Image Attribution: All images licensed via canva.com

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