About Neymar
Neymar, the Brazilian soccer player, caught the public eye with his remarkable athletic talents at a young age. He quickly rose to stardom at Santos FC, winning four consecutive Player of the Year awards and gaining immense popularity in Brazil. His move to FC Barcelona in 2013 marked the beginning of a successful career in Europe, where he contributed to the club’s triumphs in both domestic and international competitions. Following his pivotal role in securing Brazil’s first Olympic gold medal in 2016, Neymar transferred to Paris Saint-Germain the next year and currently showcases his skills at Al-Hilal, a prestigious Saudi Arabian club.
Neymar Biography: Quick Facts
- Name: Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
- Birth date: February , 199
- Birth Place: Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil
- Gender: Male
- Career: Football
- Best Known For: Becoming the Brazilian league’s standout player and helped Santos win their first-ever Copa Libertadores in over 50 years.
Early Life
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior was born in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, to Neymar Santos Sr. and Nadine da Silva, and grew up with a Christian upbringing. He received his name from his father, a former footballer, who later became his son’s mentor as Neymar’s talents flourished. Neymar’s passion for futsal and street football combined during his childhood. He credits futsal for having a profound impact on his development, enhancing his technique, quick thinking, and ability to execute moves in limited spaces.
In 2003, Neymar made a life-changing move with his family to São Vicente. It was there that he kick-started his journey in football, playing for the renowned youth side, Portuguesa Santista. But that was just the beginning of his extraordinary story. Later in the same year, Neymar and his family relocated to Santos, a city that held the key to his destiny.
It was in Santos that Neymar’s talents truly flourished as he joined the prestigious Santos football club. The triumphs of his youth career not only brought him fame but also a generous income, allowing his family to purchase their first property—a marvelous house right next to Santos’ revered Vila Belmiro stadium. Their quality of life transformed significantly.
At just 15 years old, Neymar was already earning a remarkable 10,000 reais per month. The following year, at the tender age of 16, his income skyrocketed to an astonishing 125,000 reais per month. It was a testament to his prodigious skills and the immense potential that lay within him.
But Neymar’s ascent didn’t stop there. At the age of 17, he inked his first full professional contract and took his place among the Santos first team. Alongside this milestone came the start of his lucrative sponsorship deals, marking the beginning of a partnership that would only thrive as his career soared to new heights.
Santos FC and FC Barcelona
Neymar made his debut for Santos FC in 2009, following in the footsteps of Pelé, and immediately proved himself by winning the league’s Best Young Player award. The following year, he shone brightly, leading Santos to victory in both the league and Copa do Brasil championships. He continued to impress, securing three consecutive scoring titles and four consecutive Player of the Year awards. In addition, he made his debut for the senior national team and showcased a trendsetting Mohawk-style haircut, instantly capturing the hearts of younger fans.
Back in 2011, this extraordinary forward not only delivered the FIFA Goal of the Year, but also guided Santos to their first Copa Libertadores victory in nearly half a century. Nevertheless, along with his rise to fame came the inevitable criticism, as the media harshly judged him for fathering a child outside of marriage.
On his 20th birthday in 2012, Neymar scored his 100th professional goal, ending the year with an impressive career-best total of 43 goals. In addition to his personal achievement, Santos also secured its third consecutive league title. Neymar’s influence continued to reach new heights in 2013 when he became the first Brazilian athlete to be featured on the cover of Time magazine’s March 4 issue.
Neymar made a significant announcement in May 2013 as he embarked on his journey to Europe by transferring to FC Barcelona, a formidable club boasting the talents of renowned Argentine striker Lionel Messi and various Spanish national team members. True to his reputation, Neymar proved his worth with Barcelona, adding yet another exceptional all-around ability to the already stacked Spanish club.
Neymar has been a key player for the Brazilian national team since August 2010, tying with Pelé as the country’s top goal scorer with 77 goals in 124 games. Despite facing criticism in the Copa America quarterfinals loss in 2011 and the Summer Olympics in 2012, he silenced his critics by leading Brazil to victory in the 2013 Confederations Cup, demonstrating his capability to meet high expectations on the world stage.
His remarkable tally of 39 goals during the 2014-15 season played a crucial role in helping Barcelona secure the highly desired treble, including league, domestic cup, and European Cup titles. In the subsequent year, immediately following Barcelona’s triumph as La Liga champions, Neymar’s extra-time goal propelled the club to yet another Copa Del Rey triumph.
Joining Paris Saint-Germain
In August 2017, Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain after a highly controversial transfer involving a world record deal of 222 million euros. Despite the initial setbacks, his debut season with the French club showed great promise until he unfortunately sustained a broken foot, prematurely ending his season after 30 remarkable games. However, Neymar’s determination was unwavering as he ultimately triumphed from a foot injury in the following season and played a pivotal role in leading his club to victory in securing the Ligue 1 title.
Although Neymar’s brilliance on the field had already garnered attention, his second season with PSG was marred by scrutiny due to his on-field antics. Specifically, following a Champions League defeat at the hands of Manchester United in March, Neymar received criticism for his outburst against the officials, subsequently resulting in a three-game suspension from participating in upcoming Champions League matches. Additionally, the following month, he found himself embroiled in an altercation with a fan who had been hurling insults towards the PSG players after yet another disappointing loss.
Neymar and his teammate Kylian Mbappé have undeniably created a wave of excitement over the seasons, and the anticipation reached new heights in 2021 with the addition of Messi to their squad. Nevertheless, despite these incredible talents, PSG has yet to secure the coveted Champions League title.
Heading into the 2023-24 season, Neymar encountered an unfortunate setback as he was unable to participate in PSG’s August season opener in the French league due to illness. However, the very next day, reports emerged about a potential move that would see the Brazilian joining Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal club. Surprisingly, this deal swiftly materialized and Neymar departed PSG, leaving behind a remarkable legacy as the team’s fourth highest scorer of all time, with an impressive record of 118 goals in 173 matches.
Al-Hilal
On August 15, 2023, Neymar made a remarkable move by joining Al-Hilal, a prestigious club headquartered in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. This decision aligns him with none other than Cristiano Ronaldo in the Saudi Arabian league, as they both embark on a thrilling two-year contract. Although precise details regarding the agreement have yet to be unveiled, initial reports suggest that Al-Hilal has invested a substantial transfer fee ranging from 80 million to 160 million euros ($102 million to $175 million). While these figures may not reach the record-breaking 222 million euros that PSG paid in 2017 to secure Neymar from Barcelona, it is still a noteworthy sum. Moreover, according to ESPN, Neymar is set to earn a staggering annual salary of around $100 million.
With Al-Hilal’s next game scheduled for August 19, the question arises as to whether Neymar will grace the field donning his new mesmerizing blue and white uniform. The anticipation grows, and the possibilities for his debut stir excitement among fans worldwide.
2014 World Cup Injury, 2016 Rio Olympics and 2018 World Cup
Neymar’s outstanding performance during the 2014 World Cup in his native Brazil was tragically interrupted just before the finals. Minutes before Brazil won the quarterfinal match against Colombia on July 4, Neymar was carried off the field on a stretcher in tears of agony after suffering a back injury from a challenge by Colombia’s defender Juan Zuniga. With their star player sidelined, Brazil’s dream of winning the World Cup was shattered when they were defeated 7-1 by Germany in the semifinals.
Despite being an outstanding player, Neymar had to prove that he could motivate and inspire his teammates to achieve success in international competitions. Unfortunately, his suspension during the 2015 Copa America dashed Brazil’s hopes of a deep tournament run. However, Neymar strategically chose to rest and maintain his physical condition for the 2016 Rio Olympics, and this decision proved to be a stroke of genius. With his remarkable skills and unwavering determination, Neymar scored vital goals that propelled Brazil forward, culminating in a winning penalty kick that granted the country its well-deserved first men’s soccer gold medal.
Once again, the Brazilians had to confront great expectations leading up to the 2018 World Cup. However, despite Neymar’s comeback after a foot injury, their hopes were shattered in a fierce quarterfinal clash against Belgium, resulting in a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat.
2022 World Cup
Despite Brazil’s triumphant performance at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games, winning back-to-back Olympic gold medals, Neymar was unfortunately unable to be part of this success due to PSG denying him permission to compete. This decision was justified by the fact that the Euro 2020 and Copa America tournaments were approaching. However, Neymar did have the opportunity to represent Brazil in the 2022 World Cup. The team showed great resilience, tying with Switzerland in the group stage and defeating South Korea with an impressive 4-1 victory to secure a place in the quarterfinals. The intense match against Croatia ultimately went to a penalty shootout, resulting in the European team emerging as the winners.
Personal Life
He shares an incredibly close bond with his sister Rafaella Beckran and paid tribute to her by getting a tattoo of her face on his arm, while Beckran tattooed her brother’s eyes on her arm.
Neymar, a Christian who follows the Pentecostal branch of the religion, organizes a charity match each year with fellow Brazilian footballer Nenê in Nenê’s hometown of Jundiaí to raise food for needy families. Besides Portuguese, Neymar also speaks Spanish. He has a 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 the news of their expecting daughter.
