Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, born on February 5, 1992, is commonly known as Neymar Júnior or simply Neymar. He is a Brazilian professional footballer, currently serving as a forward for the Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal and representing the Brazil national team. Widely acclaimed as one of the greatest players of his generation, Neymar is celebrated for his flamboyant playing style, exceptional passing abilities, and proficiency with both feet. He secured the third position in the FIFA Ballon d'Or rankings in 2015 and 2017 and has been honored with the FIFA Puskás Award. Neymar stands out as one of the select few players who have scored over 100 goals for three different clubs, a remarkable achievement in his illustrious career.

Neymar rose to prominence during his time at Santos, making his professional debut at the age of 17. Swiftly emerging as the star player in the Brazilian league, he played a pivotal role in Santos securing their first Copa Libertadores title in nearly 50 years. In 2013, Neymar made the move to Europe, joining Barcelona and becoming an integral part of the formidable attacking trio alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, famously known as MSN. In their inaugural season together, the trio achieved the remarkable feat of winning the continental treble, consisting of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League. Neymar not only finished as the joint top scorer in the Champions League campaign but also claimed the top scorer title in the Copa del Rey.

Eager to take on a central role at the club level, Neymar made a significant move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2017.The transfer, amounting to €222 million, established him as the most expensive player in football history.[note 1] In his inaugural season with PSG, Neymar was honored as the Ligue 1 Player of the Year and secured the first of his five Ligue 1 titles. Driven by the ambition to guide PSG to their maiden Champions League victory, Neymar played a crucial role in the team's runner-up finish in the 2019-20 Champions League. The subsequent season saw him become the highest-scoring Brazilian player in the history of the Champions League.Despite facing persistent injuries that affected his playing time, Neymar left PSG in 2023 as one of their all-time top goalscorers, embarking on a lucrative deal with Al Hilal.

Making his debut for Brazil at the age of 18, Neymar has emerged as the all-time leading goalscorer for his national team, boasting an impressive record of 79 goals in 128 matches. His notable achievements include winning the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, where he not only secured the championship but also earned the prestigious Golden Ball award. In his inaugural FIFA World Cup appearance in 2014, Neymar earned a spot in the Dream Team.


Additionally, he captained Brazil to their first-ever Olympic gold medal in men's football at the 2016 Summer Olympics, following a silver medal achievement in the 2012 edition. Neymar played a crucial role in Brazil's runner-up finish at the 2021 Copa América, sharing the Best Player award with Messi. Notably, in the 2022 World Cup, he joined the ranks of Pelé and Ronaldo as one of the only Brazilians to score in three World Cups.


Further adding to his accolades, Neymar has claimed a record six Samba Gold awards, recognizing him as the best Brazilian player in Europe.

Neymar's recognition extends beyond the field, having earned a place in the FIFA FIFPro World11 and the UEFA Team of the Year on two occasions each. Additionally, he has been included in the UEFA Champions League Squad of the Season three times. Demonstrating his global appeal, SportsPro named Neymar the most marketable athlete worldwide in both 2012 and 2013. In 2016, ESPN recognized him as the fourth-most-famous athlete globally.


His influence transcends sports, as evidenced by his inclusion in Time magazine's prestigious annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2017. Neymar's financial success is noteworthy, with France Football ranking him as the third-highest-paid footballer globally in 2018. Forbes acknowledged him as the world's third-highest-paid athlete in 2019, subsequently dropping to the fourth position in 2020.


Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior was born in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, to Neymar Santos Sr. and Nadine da Silva. Raised in a Christian household,[ he inherited his name from his father, a former footballer who later became Neymar's advisor as his talents began to blossom.Reflecting on his father's pivotal role, Neymar states, "My father has been by my side since I was little. He takes care of things, my finances, and my family.


During his upbringing, Neymar seamlessly blended his passion for futsal with street football, emphasizing the profound impact of futsal on his development. He credits the sport for honing his technique, enhancing his quick thinking on the field, and refining his ability to execute moves in confined spaces.

Santos

Neymar's journey in football commenced at a young age, catching the attention of Santos, who extended a contract offer to him in 2003. This marked his entry into their esteemed youth academy, a renowned breeding ground for Brazilian talents, having nurtured internationals such as Coutinho, Clodoaldo, Diego, Elano, and Alex. Neymar joined the ranks of iconic players like Pepe, Pelé, and Robinho, all of whom initiated their careers at the club, affectionately known as Peixe.

During his time in the youth academy, Neymar forged a close friendship with Paulo Henrique Ganso. At the age of 14, he ventured to Spain for tryouts with the Real Madrid youth team. However, Neymar did not stay in Madrid, as his father, at that time, believed it was crucial for the young prodigy to continue growing while playing at Santos.

Barcelona

On May 24, 2013, Santos revealed that they had received two offers for Neymar. Subsequently, on the following day, Neymar made the official announcement that he would be signing with Barcelona on May 27, planning to join the team after participating in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. The specific details regarding the transfer fee and personal terms were not disclosed by either Neymar or the clubs, except for the confirmation that he had agreed to a five-year deal.

On June 3, Neymar was officially presented by Barcelona after successfully completing medical tests. He formalized his commitment to the club by signing a contract that bound him to Barcelona until June 2018.

Neymar's introduction at the Camp Nou drew an impressive crowd of 56,500 fans, setting a record turnout for a Brazilian player. Initially, the club vice-president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, revealed that Neymar's transfer fee amounted to €57.1 million, with a release clause set at €190 million.As part of his assimilation into Spanish football, Barcelona's doctor suggested that Neymar might need to gain weight to meet the physical demands of the game.

Paris Saint-Germain

On August 3, 2017, Barcelona officially announced that Neymar's legal representatives had made a substantial payment of €222 million to the club. This amount precisely matched the release clause stipulated in his contract, marking it as the most expensive transfer in football history. In response to this unprecedented situation, the club promptly informed UEFA to assess any potential disciplinary responsibilities related to the case.


The process surrounding the payment was unusual, as in Spain, the activation of the release clause typically requires the direct involvement of the footballer. Notably, the fee was paid directly to the club, bypassing the customary route of depositing the buyout clause with La Liga. La Liga had initially refused to accept the payment, citing PSG's alleged violation of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules. PSG, financially backed by the Gulf state Qatar, was accused of breaching these regulations, prompting La Liga to reject the payment and raise concerns about the transfer's adherence to FFP guidelines.

Al Hilal

On August 15, 2023, Neymar finalized his move to the Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, signing a two-year contract. The reported transfer fee for the deal amounted to €90 million, establishing Neymar as the most expensive acquisition in the history of the Saudi Pro League.
Additionally, it was disclosed that Neymar's annual salary at Al Hilal is reportedly €150 million, a figure six times higher than what he earned during his tenure at PSG.

As reported by The Independent, Barcelona emerged as the sole European club expressing genuine interest in securing Neymar's signature. Other top clubs reportedly refrained from pursuing the player primarily due to the combination of his high salary demands and the anticipated substantial transfer fee required for his acquisition.

In the eyes of various media outlets, Neymar has been labeled as the 'Prince who never became King.' This epithet stems from his decision to leave Europe without clinching a Ballon d'Or and without adding any more Champions League titles to his name after the 2015 triumph with Barcelona.

References

1.  "FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™: List of Players: Brazil" (PDF). FIFA. 29 November 2022. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 November 2022.
2. ^ "Player Profile – Neymar Jr". Sportycious. Archived from the original on 21 June 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2021.
3. ^ "Neymar emulates Ronaldo & Romario after bringing up 100 goals for PSG". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
4. ^ "Neymar Jr, Santos years: The making of a future great". 19 June 2023.
5. ^ "Why Neymar is different". The Economist. 9 August 2017. ISSN 0013-0613. Archived from the original on 30 April 2022. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
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7. a b "FC Barcelona communiqué on Neymar Jr" (Press release). FC Barcelona. 3 August 2017. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
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9. a b "Neymar: Paris St-Germain sign Barcelona forward for world record 222m euros". BBC. 3 August 2017. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
10. ^ "Neymar, Roberto Firmino, Thiago Silva: Who are Brazil's top UEFA Champions League performers?". UEFA.com. 20 December 2022. Archived from the original on 19 August 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2023.
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12. a b "Neymar Belongs on Time's '100 Most Influential People'; David Beckham Explains Why". NESN. 20 April 2017. Archived from the original on 21 April 2017.