Neymar Jr

Neymar Santos da Silva Junior is a prolific icon and a shining star in the world of professional football. Known popularly as Neymar Jr, the Brazilian is renowned for his agile and flashy style of play with a surreal dribbling prowess able to discomfit the most experienced defenders.

Neymar Junior is the unquestionably all-time leading Brazilian goal scorer in the history of the Champions League and doubles as the Brazilian national team’s leading goal scorer. In 2023 Neymar moved to the prestigious Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League for a staggering €90 million.

Despite his successes, the former PSG forward has never won a Ballon d’Or but has come as close as nine nominations. Some critics claim that the Saudi star may have reached the tail end of his career, but no one can argue the impact Neymar Jr has imposed during his time at enviable clubs like FC Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar has also been plagued more often than his teammates with injuries, causing significant disturbances in his career. He is known for his flair, creativity, and ability to influence matches at the highest level. At Waitakere United, you will get the latest insights, trends, and updates on top football stars and clubs.

Early Life and Upbringing

Neymar was actually named after his father, Neymar Santos Sr., who was a former footballer. He later became his son’s advisor when Neymar’s football talent became apparent. Neymar was born on February 5th, 1992, in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, and grew up with a fondness for street football and futsal, two sports that were essential to his skill development.

Futsal, according to Neymar, had a big influence on his technique, quick thinking, and ability to move around in confined places. At the age of eleven, Neymar joined the youth levels of Santos FC, a team known for turning forth legends like Pelé.

His family had a significant influence on Neymar’s career by pushing the young player to play football. Despite having come from a humble background, scouts and fans alike were soon drawn to Neymar’s skill. Neymar had never wavered in his commitment to the game for once.

A Rising Star: From Santos FC to FC Barcelona

On March 7th, 2009, Neymar began his Santos FC debut in such a way that all his teammates, coach, and managers quickly took note of his football talent. At just the age of 17, he scored his first goal for the club against Mogi Mirim. Neymar went on to net in a decisive goal in a 2-1 win against Palmeiras in the first leg of the 2009 Campeonato Paulista semi-finals.

With six goals, Neymar finished among the top three scorers of the 2011 Copa Libertadores Finals, and he was a key component of Santos’ run. His effort included a game-winning goal against Cerro Porteño in the semi-finals, which secured a 4-3 aggregate victory.

The first leg ended in a goalless draw in Montevideo, setting up Santos versus Peñarol from Uruguay in the final. In the second leg at home, Neymar broke the stalemate in the 46th minute, helping Santos win 2–1 and becoming the Man of the Match.

When Santos FC revealed on May 24, 2013, that two teams were interested in signing the Brazilian, Neymar’s career took a whole new turn. Barcelona, one of Europe’s titans, is one of them. Neymar agreed to transfer to Camp Nou for a record €57.1 million in just twenty-four hours.

At Camp Nou, more than 56,000 enthusiastic Barcelona supporters gathered to meet their newest player. Neymar joined Messi and Suarez at Barcelona to create the lethal attacking trio known as “MSN.” With the help of these three, which dominated international football, Barcelona won the UEFA Champions League, La Liga, and Copa del Rey in 2014–2015, making history.

Neymar at Paris Saint-Germain

It was announced in 2017 that Neymar would become the most expensive football player in history when he joined PSG for a record-breaking €222 million. On August 13, 2017, Neymar made his Les Rouge-et-Bleu debut, netting a goal and providing an assist in a 3-0 victory over Guingamp away from home. 183 countries watched the match, highlighting the hype surrounding Neymar’s arrival in Paris.

Neymar went on to score a brace in the next Ligue 1 fixture against Toulouse. The hype around the Brazilian kept soaring as he would again score one goal apiece in PSG’s first two group-stage matches for the 2017–18 UEFA Champions League.

He was credited for helping the Parisiens in their 5-0 Celtic win and 3-0 famous Bayern Munich defeat. As was the case in Barca, Neymar Jr. formed a formidable partnership with the sensational Kylian Mbappé and Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani.

Neymar’s time at PSG overall was satisfactory despite several stints of injuries that plagued the Brazilian. By the time he was leaving the French club, Neymar had garnered five Ligue 1 titles, one Ligue 1 player of the Year, and ended up as runner-up in the 2019-20 UEFA Champions League.

Brazil’s Golden Boy

Neymar Jr has not only shown brightness in football clubs but has been phenomenal in his home country. He made his first senior squad selection on July 26th, 2010, for a friendly game against the United States that was to be played at East Rutherford, New Jersey. After 28 minutes, he scored his first goal for Brazil, a header off a cross by André Santos, as they won 2-0.

Since then, he has been a key player for Brazil, leading them to numerous victories, including the Confederations Cup in 2013 and an Olympic gold medal in 2016. Neymar has consistently been Brazil’s top scorer and was crucial in their run to the 2014 World Cup semi-finals before an injury in the quarterfinals ruled him out of the rest of the tournament.

As of 2023, Neymar became Brazil’s all-time top scorer, surpassing the legendary Pelé with his 79th goal. His contributions to the national team have made him a national hero, and his influence on the younger generation of Brazilian footballers is profound.

Al Hilal: Neymar’s Current Club

Neymar may have reached the zenith of his footballing career, having moved over to Al Hilal, a Saudi Pro League team, where he inked a two-year contract on August 15, 2023. Neymar became the league’s most expensive acquisition to date with the rumoured €90 million cost for the trade. He reportedly earns €150 million per year, making six times as much money as he did at Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar made a relatively impressive debut at Al Hilal, coming off the bench as a sub and assisting his fellow national, Malcom in what ended as a 6-1 humiliation of Al-Riyadh. He also registered his first goal in a 3-0 away victory in an AFC Champions League group stage event against Nassaji Mazandaran.

Neymar’s career has been nothing short of illustrious. However, Media outlets have referred to him as the “Prince who never became King,” pointing out that he left European football without winning a Ballon d’Or or adding more UEFA Champions League titles to his name after Barcelona’s 2015 victory.