Neymar

• 1. Introduction

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  On the 3rd of August 2017, Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain in a transfer worth 222 million euros, the most expensive in football history. Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior was born on the 5th of February 1992, and the world knows him by one name. He is a Brazilian attacking player, widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time. Yet the Ballon d'Or, the sport's most famous individual prize, never reached him. How did a boy raised on futsal courts and street pitches become the centre of the biggest deal the game had seen? Why do so many chapters of his career end in tears, injury or a courtroom? And what does it take to pass a record that Pelé held for more than half a century?

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• 2. Santos Beginnings

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  Neymar was born in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, to Neymar Santos Sr. and Nadine da Silva. He took his father's name, and his father, a former footballer, became his adviser as the talent grew. Neymar once described the arrangement: "My father has been by my side since I was little. He takes care of things, my finances and my family."

  Futsal and street football filled his childhood. Neymar says futsal shaped his technique, his speed of thought and his ability to work in tight spaces. He named Robinho as his "idol" and also looked up to Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi and Wayne Rooney.

  In 2003 the family moved to São Vicente, where he played for the youth side Portuguesa Santista. Later that same year they moved to Santos, and the club took him into its youth academy. That academy had produced Brazilian internationals such as Coutinho, Clodoaldo, Diego, Elano and Alex. Pelé and Robinho had started there too, and the club goes by the nickname Peixe. Inside the academy, Neymar met Paulo Henrique Ganso, and the two became good friends.

  At 14, Neymar travelled to Spain to try out for the Real Madrid youth team. He did not stay. His father decided that the young prodigy should keep growing up at Santos. Back home, success in the youth ranks brought in enough money for the family to buy its first property, a house beside Vila Belmiro, the club's stadium. At 17 he signed his first full professional contract, moved up to the first team and began signing sponsorship deals.

  His professional debut came on the 7th of March 2009, one month after his 17th birthday, in a 2-1 win over Oeste. On the 11th of April he scored the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Palmeiras in the Campeonato Paulista semi-final first leg. Santos then lost the final 4-2 on aggregate to Corinthians.

  In 2010 he scored 42 goals in 60 matches and helped Santos win its first Copa do Brasil, finishing as top scorer with 11 goals. People began calling him the new Pelé. Criticism followed over a tendency to dive and a fallout with manager Dorival Júnior. That summer, Chelsea and West Ham United bid for him, with the Chelsea offer reported at around 20 million pounds. Neymar stayed, though he admitted it was his "dream" to play in Europe.

  The 2011 season brought the Copa Libertadores. He scored six goals on the run to the final and the opener in the second leg against the Uruguayan side Peñarol, a 2-1 win. It was the club's first title in that competition since the Pelé era of the 1960s. Neymar was Man of the Match and the tournament's Best Player. On the 27th of July 2011, a solo dribble in a 5-4 loss to Ronaldinho's Flamengo won him the FIFA Puskás Award. Soon after, he signed an extension that ran past the 2014 World Cup, reportedly raising his wages by 50 percent and shutting out interest from top European clubs.

  In December 2011 at the Club World Cup in Toyota, Japan, Santos beat Kashiwa Reysol 3-1 in the semi-final. The final against Barcelona ended 4-0, and Neymar took the Bronze Ball behind Messi and Xavi. He won the South American Footballer of the Year award that year by a record margin.

  The 2012 season was arguably his finest at the club. On his 20th birthday, the 5th of February 2012, he scored his 100th professional goal, against Palmeiras. He finished that year with 43 goals in 47 matches and kept his South American award. In the 2012 Campeonato Paulista final, Neymar scored twice in each leg of a 7-2 aggregate win over Guarani. He also shared the top-scorer prize in the Copa Libertadores with eight goals.

  In February 2013 he appeared on the cover of Time magazine under the headline "The Next Pelé." By then his father had revealed that Neymar intended to leave for Europe before the 2014 World Cup. The tears came during the national anthem on the 26th of May 2013, before a draw with Flamengo that proved to be his last match for the club.

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• 3. Barcelona Years

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  Two offers for Neymar reached Santos, which announced them on the 24th of May 2013. The next day he said he would sign for Barcelona, and he did so on the 27th. On the 3rd of June he was unveiled at the Camp Nou before 56,500 fans, a record turnout for a Brazilian player. He had signed a five-year deal. Club vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu said the fee was 57.1 million euros, with a release clause of 190 million. Barcelona's doctor even suggested he might need to gain weight to cope with Spanish football.

  Those numbers did not hold. In January 2014 the prosecutor's office in Madrid began investigating the fee, and the documents handed over contained contradictory information. On the 23rd of January 2014, president Sandro Rosell resigned. A day later Barcelona revealed that the transfer had actually cost 86.2 million euros, with 40 million of that going to Neymar's parents. Barcelona and Bartomeu were afterwards charged with tax fraud.

  On the pitch, his debut came as a 63rd-minute substitute for Alexis Sánchez in a 7-0 win over Levante. He scored in the Supercopa de España against Atlético Madrid and assisted Gerard Piqué on his Champions League debut against Ajax. In his first El Clásico, on the 26th of October 2013, he scored the opener and set up the winner in a 2-1 victory over Real Madrid. A hat-trick against Celtic followed in a 6-1 win. Yet he later said that he spent his first six months at Barça with "butterflies in my stomach." His first season closed with 15 goals in 41 appearances.

  The 2014-15 season changed everything, because Luis Suárez arrived to join Messi and Neymar. The media called the trio MSN. One sports writer found Neymar's understanding with Messi "close to telepathic at times" and called the group "possibly the most formidable strike-force in European football." Neymar scored in the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao, and in the Champions League final in Berlin he scored the third goal in a 3-1 win over Juventus. Barcelona became the first club to win the treble twice. Neymar finished with 39 goals, including 10 in the Champions League, sharing the top spot with Messi and Ronaldo. The trio scored 122 goals together, a Spanish record for an attacking trio.

  In late September 2015, Messi suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out for two months. In those eight games Neymar scored 13 goals and made 9 assists, including four in a 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano. He was shortlisted for the 2015 Ballon d'Or with Messi and Ronaldo and finished third with 7.86 percent of the vote. Barcelona went on to win the league by a single point and the Copa del Rey, a domestic double. The trio scored 131 goals that season. On the 1st of July 2016 Neymar signed a new contract, with a buy-out clause that began at 200 million euros and climbed in later years.

  The night of the 8th of March 2017 produced La Remontada, "The Comeback." Barcelona had lost the first leg of the Champions League last 16 to PSG by 4-0. They were 5-3 down on aggregate in the 88th minute, then scored three times in the final seven minutes. Neymar scored twice and provided an assist in the 95th minute for the 6-1 win. PSG midfielder Marco Verratti later said, "If I could sign one player for PSG it would be Neymar." On the 27th of May he scored his 105th and final Barcelona goal in the Copa del Rey final against Alavés. No player had scored in three straight finals of that competition since Ferenc Puskás in the 1960s. His Barcelona totals stood at 105 goals and 76 assists in 186 appearances.

  Many in the media believed he wanted to step out of Messi's shadow and improve his Ballon d'Or chances. On the 2nd of August 2017, Neymar asked Barcelona to let him leave, and Bartomeu admitted he was powerless to stop him.

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• 4. Paris Years

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  The transfer made global headlines, and some in the media called it "the signing of the century." Neymar signed a contract running until 2022 at roughly 30 million euros a year, making him the second-highest-paid player in the world. A further 40 million euros was paid up front, believed to be given to his father. He said he wanted a new challenge, above all helping the club win its first Champions League. A journalist for ESPN said PSG offered him "the status of being No. 1 in the team." Midfielder Javier Pastore gave him the number 10 shirt as a welcome gift. At his presentation on the 17th of August, Neymar called leaving Barcelona one of the toughest decisions of his life.

  On the 27th of August 2017, Barcelona filed a lawsuit demanding that he return a contract-renewal bonus and pay 8.5 million euros in damages. His lawyers said they would contest it. On the 19th of June 2020, a Spanish court ordered him to return 7.5 million dollars, about 6.7 million euros. In 2021 both sides announced an "amicable" out-of-court settlement, with details never made public.

  His debut came on the 13th of August 2017, a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win at Guingamp. On the 17th of January 2018 he scored four goals and made two assists in an 8-0 win over Dijon, and he became one of the few players to earn a 10 rating from L'Equipe. A metatarsal injury ended his season in late February 2018, so he missed the second leg against Real Madrid that eliminated PSG. He still finished with 28 goals in 30 matches, a domestic treble, and the Ligue 1 Player of the Year award.

  The 2018-19 season mixed records with trouble. In the Champions League he scored a hat-trick against Red Star Belgrade and passed Kaká to become Brazil's all-time top scorer in the competition. After United eliminated PSG, he insulted the video review officials on social media and UEFA banned him for three matches. After the 2019 Coupe de France final, lost on penalties to Rennes, he was caught on video appearing to punch a spectator. For the first time since 2010, he missed the Ballon d'Or shortlist of 30, a result of what was called a "black year."

  In July 2019 it emerged that he wanted to leave. He felt referees never protected him, that some dressing-room team-mates were jealous, and that fans and sections of the French media were against him. Talks over a return to Barcelona broke down. On the 14th of September 2019 he was booed throughout his first appearance of the season, then won the match against Strasbourg with a bicycle kick in the 92nd minute. In the 2019-20 Champions League he led PSG to their first final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich. At full time he was visibly distraught.

  The next season he became the fastest player in Ligue 1 history to reach 50 league goals, doing so in 58 matches. He also became the first player in European Cup and Champions League history to reach 20 goals for two different clubs. Lille still took the league title by one point. On the 8th of May 2021, Neymar extended his contract until 2025, saying he wanted to deliver the club's biggest dream, a Champions League title.

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• 5. Injuries and Exile

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  The arrival of Messi and Sergio Ramos before the 2021-22 season made PSG favourites for the Champions League and created a new attacking trio of Mbappé, Neymar and Messi, called MNM. On the 6th of November 2021 he scored his 400th career goal against Bordeaux. On the 21st of May 2022 he scored his 100th goal for PSG in a 5-0 win over Metz, joining the few players to reach 100 for three different clubs. Yet it was his lowest output since reaching Europe, with 13 goals and 8 assists. He scored no Champions League goals at all for the first time in his career, and critics pointed to a decline in speed and stamina.

  The 2022-23 season began in tremendous form. He was named Ligue 1 Player of the Month for August, and on the 10th of September 2022 he passed Pauleta to become the club's fourth-top scorer. Then on the 19th of February 2023, he suffered a season-ending ankle injury against Lille. PSG still won the league by one point over Lens, his fifth and last French title. Across six years he missed 119 matches through around 20 injuries, a fragility he had not shown at Barcelona or Santos.

  On the 15th of August 2023, Neymar moved to the Saudi club Al Hilal on a two-year contract. The reported fee was 90 million euros, a Saudi Pro League record, and he was reportedly paid 150 million euros a year, six times his PSG wage. According to The Independent, only Barcelona showed genuine interest among European clubs. Some outlets dubbed him the "Prince who never became King." He answered, "I wouldn't be surprised if the Saudi league is better than the French."

  His Al Hilal debut came on the 15th of September 2023, as a substitute in a 6-1 win. In October he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament on international duty, and he played only five games for the club before the injury ended his season. He returned on the 21st of October 2024, then suffered a hamstring injury. Coach Jorge Jesus said Neymar could "no longer perform at the level we are used to." On the 27th of January 2025, the club ended his contract by mutual consent. His leaving message said, "I gave it all to play, and I wish we could have enjoyed better moments together on the field." He had one goal and three assists in seven appearances, and media outlets debated whether it was the worst transfer in football history.

  Three days later he announced a return to Santos. The club confirmed it the next day. He took the number 10 shirt that Pelé wore between 1956 and 1974, and one stated aim was to regain top form for the 2026 World Cup. On the 6th of February he made his comeback as a half-time substitute in a 1-1 draw with Botafogo-SP, and Reuters described fans lighting up their phones in a hero's welcome. Ten days later he scored a penalty against Água Santa, and on the 23rd of February he scored directly from a corner kick against Inter de Limeira.

  Injuries returned. On the 16th of April 2025 he wore a number 100 jersey to mark his 100th match at Vila Belmiro, but he left injured after 32 minutes. Later he was sent off after a handball against Botafogo. The club renewed his contract on the 24th of June, with president Marcelo Teixeira citing record-breaking social media growth and commercial gains. On the 3rd of December he scored his first hat-trick since returning, a 3-0 win at Juventude that helped lift Santos out of the relegation zone. On the 6th of January 2026, he extended his deal to the end of that year.

  Through every club move, a second career in yellow ran alongside, with a pressure all its own.

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• 6. Brazil's Number Ten

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  A petition with 14,000 signatures asked coach Dunga to take Neymar to the 2010 World Cup. Pelé and Romário had reportedly urged the same. Dunga left him out of both the 23-man squad and the stand-by list, calling him "extremely talented" but untested at international level. New coach Mano Menezes called him up on the 26th of July 2010. On the 10th of August, at East Rutherford, New Jersey, Neymar debuted against the United States wearing number 11. He scored a header after 28 minutes from an André Santos cross in a 2-0 win.

  The next spring brought controversy. On the 27th of March 2011, after he scored twice at the Emirates Stadium against Scotland, a banana was thrown onto the pitch. Neymar complained of "constant jeering and an atmosphere of racism." Scottish officials said the booing was only over perceived injury-feigning, and a German student among the Brazil fans said he threw the banana with no racist intent. The Scottish FA asked the Brazilian federation for an apology. Neymar refused, saying he "did not accuse any person or any group of supporters."

  He scored nine goals at the 2011 South American Youth Championship, including two in a 6-0 final win over Uruguay. At the 2011 Copa América he scored twice against Ecuador, but Brazil went out on penalties to Paraguay. At the London 2012 Olympics he scored a free kick at Old Trafford against Belarus and set up two more goals in a 3-1 win. Afterwards he said, "I scored and made two assists so for me it was perfect." Brazil lost the final at Wembley 2-1 to Mexico, giving them silver.

  The 2013 Confederations Cup at home went better, and he took the number 10 shirt. He scored the tournament's first goal against Japan on the 15th of June and a free kick in a 4-2 win over Italy. In the 3-0 final win over Spain on the 30th of June he scored Brazil's second goal. He took the Golden Ball. In March 2014, after a hat-trick in Johannesburg, he led a South African boy who had run onto the pitch to meet his teammates, who lifted the child in celebration.

  With Thiago Silva out injured, Dunga made Neymar captain, and he was confirmed as permanent skipper on the 5th of September 2014. On the 14th of October he scored all four goals in a 4-0 friendly win over Japan in Singapore. At 22 he had 40 goals in 58 internationals. At the 2015 Copa América he was booked for handball against Colombia, then red-carded after kicking the ball at Pablo Armero, and CONMEBOL gave him a four-match ban. Barcelona manager Luis Enrique asked that he be rested from the 2016 Copa América Centenario.

  For the 2016 Olympics on home soil he was one of three over-23 players, and coach Rogério Micale made him captain. He scored a free kick against Colombia, scored twice in a 6-0 semi-final win over Honduras, and opened the final against Germany at the Maracanã with a free kick after 27 minutes. Max Meyer equalised, and Brazil won the shootout 5-4. Neymar scored the winning penalty, delivering Brazil's first Olympic gold in men's football. After the tournament he gave up the captaincy, following criticism of his conduct.

  Between the Confederations Cup and these Olympics sat the tournament that mattered most, and it was staged at home.

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• 7. World Cup Heartbreak

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  In the opening match of the 2014 World Cup, against Croatia on the 12th of June, Neymar earned his 50th cap. In the 26th minute he elbowed Luka Modrić and received only a yellow card, which many critics thought lenient. He equalised before half-time and added a penalty in a 3-1 win. He then scored twice against Cameroon, and he hit the winning kick in the penalty shoot-out against Chile. Against Colombia in the quarter-final, Juan Camilo Zúñiga kneed him in the back. Neymar left on a stretcher with a fractured vertebra. Without him and the suspended captain Thiago Silva, Brazil lost the semi-final 7-1 to Germany on the 8th of July. He still won the Bronze Boot and a place in the Dream Team.

  Four years later, he arrived at the 2018 World Cup in Russia after a foot injury and a three-month absence. His return came on the 3rd of June 2018 at Anfield, with a goal in a 2-0 friendly win over Croatia. His play seemed different, as if he were avoiding contact entirely. He scored against Costa Rica in injury time on the 22nd of June at the Krestovsky Stadium in Saint Petersburg. That was his 56th Brazil goal, third on the all-time list behind Pelé and Ronaldo. A goal against Mexico followed on the 2nd of July. BBC Sport wrote that he stayed unpopular among neutrals for his "petulance and the play-acting." Brazilian newspaper O Globo said, "Neymar has charmed Brazil, but annoyed the whole world." Belgium won the quarter-final 2-1 on the 6th of July, with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois denying him an equaliser with a fingertip save in injury time.

  On the 5th of June 2019, an ankle injury against Qatar ruled him out of the Copa América at home. He played his 100th Brazil match against Senegal on the 10th of October 2019. A hat-trick against Peru on the 13th of October 2020 took him to 64 goals and past Ronaldo as the nation's second-highest scorer. At the 2021 Copa América he assisted goals against Venezuela, Colombia and Chile, and again in the semi-final against Peru. Argentina won the final 1-0 on the 10th of July, but Neymar shared the Best Player award with Messi. In September 2021 he also became Brazil's all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifying, with 12 goals.

  The 2022 World Cup in Qatar was touted as his crowning moment. He had scored 15 goals with 11 assists in 20 games that season. An ankle ligament injury kept him out of two group games after he assisted the opener against Serbia. Against South Korea on the 5th of December, he scored a penalty and became only the third Brazilian, after Pelé and Ronaldo, to score in three different World Cups. Four days later against Croatia, he scored in extra time after a "magical" run with two one-twos. Journalist Michael Cox called it one of the "greatest individual goals in football history." It was his 77th goal for Brazil, equalling Pelé's official tally.

  Croatia drew level, and Brazil lost the shoot-out 4-2 before Neymar could take his penalty. He was distraught and hinted it might be his last game. He later said the defeat "psychologically destroyed" him, and he felt "paralysed" for 10 minutes afterwards.

  On the 8th of September 2023, two goals in a 5-1 win over Bolivia began the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and gave him his 78th and 79th goals. That year he passed Pelé's 52-year-old record as Brazil's top scorer. He is also Brazil's second-most-capped player behind Cafu. His tally stands at 79 goals in 128 matches, and the 2026 tournament is still ahead.

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