Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
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Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, born on February 5, 1992, is a Brazilian professional footballer known for his exceptional skills and flamboyant style of play. Here are key points about Neymar's life and career:
Club Career:
- Neymar made his professional debut with Santos in 2009, helping them win the Copa Libertadores in 2011.
- In 2013, he joined Barcelona, forming the famed attacking trio MSN with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. They won La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League in their first season together.
- Neymar became the most expensive player ever when he transferred to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2017 for €222 million. He won multiple Ligue 1 titles with PSG and reached the Champions League final in 2019-20.
- In 2023, Neymar joined Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal.
International Career:
- Neymar debuted for Brazil at the age of 18 and is the nation's all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals in 128 matches.
- He won the Golden Ball at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and captained Brazil to their first Olympic gold medal in men's football at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
- Neymar achieved a runner-up finish at the 2021 Copa América, where he was jointly awarded Best Player.
- In the 2022 World Cup, he became the third Brazilian player to score in three World Cups, following Pelé and Ronaldo.
Individual Achievements:
- Neymar has won the FIFA Puskás Award in 2011 for his outstanding goal.
- He has been named in the FIFA FIFPro World11 and the UEFA Team of the Year twice.
- Finished third for the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2015 and 2017.
- Neymar has won a record six Samba Gold awards.
- He is the highest-scoring Brazilian player in Champions League history.
Off the Field:
- Neymar has won numerous off-field accolades, including being named the world's most marketable athlete by SportsPro in 2012 and 2013.
- ESPN cited him as the world's fourth-most-famous athlete in 2016.
- Time included Neymar in its annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2017.
- Forbes ranked him the world's third-highest-paid athlete in 2019.
Early Life:
- Neymar was born in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, to Neymar Santos Sr. and Nadine da Silva.
- His father, a former footballer, played a significant role in Neymar's upbringing and career.
- Neymar started playing for youth side Portuguesa Santista before joining Santos in 2003.
- Futsal had a massive influence on Neymar's development, helping him enhance his technique, speed of thought, and ability to perform in tight spaces.
Neymar's career is marked by his success both at the club and international levels, earning him recognition as one of the greatest players of his generation.
International Career (Continued):
2010–2012: Senior debut and first major tournaments:
- Neymar made his senior debut for Brazil in August 2010 at the age of 18.
- Despite his impressive performances for Santos, he was initially omitted from the squad for the 2010 World Cup by coach Dunga.
- Neymar's first goal for Brazil came on his debut in a friendly against the United States in 2010.
- He scored twice against Scotland in 2011, but the match was marred by an incident involving a banana thrown onto the pitch, leading Neymar to complain about racism.
- Neymar was the top scorer of the 2011 South American Youth Championship and participated in the 2011 Copa América.
- He represented Brazil in the 2012 Summer Olympics, contributing significantly with goals and assists as Brazil won silver.
2013–2014: Confederations Cup triumph and World Cup breakthrough:
- Neymar played a crucial role in Brazil's victory in the 2013 Confederations Cup, winning the Golden Ball as the player of the tournament.
- In a friendly against South Africa in 2014, Neymar scored a hat-trick and displayed sportsmanship by interacting with a young pitch invader.
- Neymar featured in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and scored four goals before suffering a back injury in the quarter-finals, forcing him to miss the rest of the tournament.
- Despite Brazil's disappointing exit, Neymar was named in the World Cup All Star XI and finished as the third top goalscorer.
2015–2016: Assuming the captaincy and Olympic gold:
- Neymar was appointed captain of the Brazil national team in 2014.
- He scored four goals in a friendly against Japan in 2014, becoming the fifth-highest goalscorer for Brazil at the age of 22.
- Neymar played a key role in Brazil's 2016 Olympic campaign, scoring goals in the quarter-final and semi-final, and netting the winning penalty in the final against Germany, securing Brazil's first Olympic gold in men's football.
2018: World Cup:
- Neymar participated in the 2018 World Cup, scoring goals against Costa Rica and Mexico.
- Brazil was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Belgium, with Neymar finishing as the team's joint-third highest goalscorer.
2019–2021: Copa América runner-up:
- Neymar suffered an ankle injury before the 2019 Copa América and was ruled out of the tournament.
- In October 2019, Neymar played his 100th match for Brazil.
- He scored a hat-trick against Peru in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier, becoming Brazil's second-highest goalscorer at that time.
2022–present: World Cup and all-time Brazil top scorer:
- Neymar was named in Brazil's squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup but suffered an ankle injury.
- He returned to score goals in the World Cup knockout stage, equaling Pelé's record of 77 international goals.
- Neymar surpassed Pelé's record by scoring twice against Bolivia in a World Cup qualification match, becoming Brazil's all-time top goalscorer.
- Unfortunately, Neymar suffered a serious knee injury in October 2023, likely ruling him out for the remainder of the season.
Neymar's international career is marked by significant achievements, including individual awards, Olympic gold, and becoming Brazil's all-time leading goalscorer.
Prime Neymar was UNREAL;
References;
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