In thisPortuguese name, the first or maternalfamily name isda Silva and the second or paternal family name isSantos. "Júnior" is agenerational suffix used for someone whose name is the same as their father, like "Jr." in English.
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 01:54, 3 March 2025 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 04:10, 18 October 2023 (UTC)
Neymar made his professional debut with Santos in 2009. In 2011, he was awarded theleague's Best Player and won theFIFA Puskás Award for a solo effort in the league. In the same year, he helped Santos win their firstCopa Libertadores in nearly 50 years.[3] In 2013, he joinedBarcelona and became part of an attacking trio withLionel Messi andLuis Suárez, dubbedMSN. Winning thecontinental treble ofLa Liga, theCopa del Rey, and theUEFA Champions League in the trio'sfirst season, Neymar was the joint-top goalscorer of the Champions League campaign and top goalscorer of the Copa del Rey. In his final season, Neymar reached 100 goals for Barcelona and set the record for most assists in a Champions League campaign. During his time at Barcelona, he was named in theFIFA FIFPro World11 twice and made the podium for theFIFA Ballon d'Or in2015 and2017.
Motivated to be the focal player, Neymar joinedParis Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2017 for a transfer worth €222 million, making himthe most expensive player ever.[note 1] Evolving into a complete playmaker, he largely contributed to PSG's continuation ofLigue 1 title dominance, winning five titles. Individually, he was named thePlayer of the Year in his debut season and was named in theTeam of the Year three times. In the Champions League, he was integral to PSG reaching itsfirst final in 2020, being named in theUEFA Team of the Year for the second time in his career. Having scored over 100 goals for PSG, he became only the fourth player ever to have scored at least 100 goals for three different clubs. Continuing injuries caused PSG to sell Neymar in 2023 toAl Hilal for €90 million, joining theSaudi Pro Leaguerevolution. He rarely played due to a year-longACL injury and returned to his boyhood club Santos in January 2025.
Neymar was born inMogi das Cruzes,São Paulo, to Neymar Santos Sr. and Nadine da Silva and had aChristian upbringing.[6][7] He inherited his name from his father, who is a former footballer and became his son's advisor as Neymar's talents began to grow.[8] Neymar comments on his father's role: "My father has been by my side since I was little. He takes care of things, my finances and my family."[9] Growing up, Neymar combined his love offutsal withstreet football.[10] Neymar said that futsal had a massive influence on him growing up, helping him develop his technique, speed of thought and ability to perform moves in tight spaces.[11]
In 2003, Neymar moved with his family toSão Vicente, where he began playing for youth sidePortuguesa Santista.[12] Then, later in 2003, they moved toSantos, where Neymar joinedSantos.[13] With the success of his youth career and added income, the family bought their first property, a house next to Vila Belmiro, Santos' home stadium. Their quality of family life improved, as at age 15, Neymar was earning 10,000reais per month and at 16, 125,000 reais per month. At 17, he signed his first full professional contract, was upgraded to the Santos first team, and began signing his firstsponsorship deals.[14]
Club career
Santos
Youth
Neymar began playing football at an early age and he was soon spotted bySantos who offered him a contract in 2003; where he was inducted into theiryouth academy, which has, in the past, produced Brazilian internationals likeCoutinho,Clodoaldo,Diego,Elano andAlex. He also joined the likes ofPepe,Pelé andRobinho in starting out his career at the club, nicknamedPeixe.[15] While in the youth academy, Neymar metPaulo Henrique Ganso, becoming good friends in the process. Aged 14, Neymar travelled to Spain for try outs with theReal Madrid youth team. He did not stay in Madrid, however, as his father decided at the time that he preferred the young prodigy to keep growing up while playing at Santos.[16][17]
2009: Debut season
Neymar made his professional debut on 7 March 2009, despite being only 17 years old. He was brought on for the last thirty minutes, in a 2–1 win againstOeste.[10] The following week he scored his first goal for Santos againstMogi Mirim. One month later, on 11 April, Neymar scored the decisive goal in a 2–1 win againstPalmeiras in the2009 Campeonato Paulista semi-final first leg.[18] In the final, however,Santos suffered a 4–2 aggregate defeat toCorinthians.[19] In his first season, Neymar racked up 14 goals in 48 games.[10]
2010: State league and Copa do Brasil titles
"The 18-year-old is a magnificent prospect. He is sleek and skilful, able to beat the defender on either side, capable of combining well, and full of tricks he can put to productive use in and around the penalty area."
—South American football journalistTim Vickery on Neymar in 2010.[20]
He continued his rapid development in 2010, and, on 15 April, he scored five goals for Santos in an 8–1 rout ofGuarani in the qualifying stages of the Brazilian Cup.[21] Following the2010 Campeonato Paulista in which Neymar scored 14 goals in 19 games,[15] including two in the second leg of the finals againstSanto André, the club were crowned champions.[22] Neymar was subsequently given the award for the best player in the competition,[23] and his performances for the club drew comparisons to other Brazilians, including Robinho,Alexandre Pato, and Pelé.[24]
In the 2010 summer transfer window, Santos rejected a £12 million bid for him from EnglishPremier League teamWest Ham United,[25] and later an offer fromChelsea, reported to be in the region of £20 million.[26] Despite the unwillingness of Santos to sell and Neymar himself stating: "I'm focused only on Santos",[27] his agent, Wagner Ribeiro, indicated that Neymar's career was elsewhere, stating: "He wants to become the best player in the world. The chances of him doing that while playing in Brazil are zero."[26] One year later Neymar said, in an interview with theDaily Telegraph, that he had been happy with Chelsea's interest in him as it was a "dream" of his "to play in Europe", while also stating that at the time it had been the right decision to stay in Brazil.[28]
On 5 May 2010, Neymar scored a goal in the 3-1Copa do Brasil quarterfinals victory overAtletico-MG.[29] He missed the first leg of the semifinals againstGrêmio due to a suspension, but returned for the second leg and Santos advanced 6-5 on aggregate. In the first leg of the finals againstVitória, Neymar scored a goal and missed a penalty in a 2-0 win forPeixe.[30] Although Santos lost the return leg 2-1, the 3-2 aggregate score was enough for Santos to lift the Copa do Brasil for the first time in its history, and Neymar finished as the tournament's top scorer with 11 goals.[31]
Neymar with former Portuguese footballerEusébio in 2010
On 30 November 2010, Santos sold a 5% share of future transfer fees that he would receive to an investment group, Terceira Estrela Investimentos S.A. (TEISA), forR$ 3,549,900 (€1.5 million).[32] The previous year, his family had sold a 40% stake in Neymar's sporting rights to theDIS Esporte group, who had been a long-term strategic partner of the club.[33]
In theleague, Neymar shined, scoring 17 goals, including a hat trick againstGoiás (4-1) and a brace against Atletico-MG (2-2). He finished second in the top scoring charts, behind Gremio'sJonas.
Neymar concluded the season with 42 goals in 60 matches in all competitions. Despite these impressive numbers, problems had been identified, namely Neymar's apparent taste for diving when tackled, rather than attempting to continue his run, and his attitude. The latter came to the forefront during a league match againstAtlético Goianiense, on 15 September 2010, when Santos' manager,Dorival Júnior, appointed another player to take the penalty awarded for a foul on Neymar.[34] His decision was based on the fact that Neymar had missed a crucial penalty during the Copa do Brasil final that year, even if Santos went on to win. Reacting to this, Neymar turned his back on his manager, had to be calmed down by a linesman and argued with his captain,Edu Dracena. The fallout from this event was that Dorival Júnior wished to have Neymar suspended for two weeks, but the board sided with the player and promptly sacked the manager, with Neymar later apologizing.[10] In December 2010, aged just 18, Neymar came third for the2010 South American Footballer of the Year, behindAndrés D'Alessandro andJuan Sebastián Verón.[35]
Despite scoring only four goals in the2011 Campeonato Paulista, Neymar scored crucial goals during the2011 season; he scored the only goal of the quarterfinals matchup againstPonte Preta,[36] and then scored the winning goal in the second leg of the finals against Corinthians to help his club clinch back-to-back state titles.[37] Neymar scored six goals during Santos' run to the2011 Copa Libertadores Finals, tying him for third top goalscorer,[38] including the clinching goal of Santos' 4–3 aggregate win overCerro Porteño in the semi-finals.[39] In the two-legged final, Santos faced Uruguayan sidePeñarol and drew the first leg 0–0 inMontevideo.[40] At home in the second leg, Neymar opened the scoring in the 46th minute as Santos held on for a 2–1 win and Neymar won Man of the Match honours.[41][42] The win brought Santos their firstCopa Libertadores triumph since 1963, when Pelé was playing for the club.[43][44]
On 27 July 2011, Neymar scored his first goals of that year's Campeonato Brasileiro, scoring two goals in a thrilling match against Ronaldinho'sFlamengo, but could not prevent defeat for his team as they lost 5–4.[45] His first goal, a spectacular solo dribble, later won the 2011FIFA Puskás Award.
In September 2011, Santos club president Luís Ribeiro threatened to reportReal Madrid toFIFA following reports that they had attempted to sign Neymar to a pre-contract agreement, and denied that such an agreement was in place.[46] On 29 October, Neymar scored four goals and had two disallowed in a 4-1 victory overAtletico Paranaense.[47] On 9 November, Neymar and Santos agreed to a contract extension that would see the player stay with the club until after the2014 World Cup. The deal reportedly increased Neymar's wages by 50%, to the levels that top European clubs would be paying him.[48] On 14 December, Neymar scored the opening goal for Santos as they defeatedKashiwa Reysol 3–1 in the semi-finals of theFIFA Club World Cup inToyota, Japan, but made a very small impact in the final againstBarcelona on 18 December, where Santos were defeated 4–0.[49] On 31 December, he won the2011 South American Footballer of the Year award for the first time, by a record margin, following in the footsteps ofDiego Maradona,Romário, Pelé andZico.[50]
2012: South America's best player
On 5 February 2012, when he turned 20, Neymar scored his 100th goal as a professional football player, against Palmeiras in theCampeonato Paulista.[51][52] On 25 February – he scored two goals, one of which was from 25-yards – and created two assists to help his side to a 6–1 win overPonte Preta.[53] On 7 March, Neymar netted ahat-trick as Santos saw off Brazilian rivalsInternacional with a 3–1 win in theCopa Libertadores group stage.[54] On 29 March, he scored a brace againstGuaratinguetá in a 5–0 victory.[55] In the fixture againstSão Paulo on 29 April 2012, Neymar scored a hat-trick with the match ending 3–1.[56] Thereafter, he went on to score twice in thefirst[57] andsecond legs[58] in the2012 Campeonato Paulista Finals againstGuarani, which ended 7–2 on aggregate. Neymar finished the2012 Campeonato Paulista with 20 goals and was voted the Best Player and Best Forward, and Santos were crowned champions. He was joint top scorer in theCopa Libertadores with eight goals, after Santos were beaten over two legs by eventual champions Corinthians in the semi-finals 2-1 on aggregate, with Neymar scoring once in the second leg.
On 25 August 2012, he scored a brace in the 2–1 away win at Palmeiras.[59] On 3 November, in theleague fixture away atCruzeiro, Neymar scored a hat-trick and assistedFelipe Anderson's goal, to help his side to a 4–0 win.[60] Neymar finished off the 2012 season in style, first setting-upVictor Andrade's equaliser, then scoring twice, to give Santos a 3–1 home win over Palmeiras on 1 December.[61] Neymar was voted the Best Player of the2012 Recopa Sudamericana, scoring in the second leg to assist Santos in winning the title, 2–0 on aggregate againstU. de Chile. Neymar finished the 2012 season with 43 goals, one more than his breakthrough 2010 season, but this time doing it in just 47 matches instead of 60. Due to his performances, Neymar was awarded theBola de Ouro for the second consecutive time. He was one of three finalists in the 2012FIFA Puskás Award and finished runner-up behindMiroslav Stoch. He won the2012 South American Footballer of the Year, retaining his award and winning it ahead of the likes ofRonaldinho.[62]
2013: Final season
Neymar started the2013 Campeonato Paulista scoring twice in the first match, which ended a 3–1 win overSão Bernardo on 19 January 2013.[63] On 3 February, in the Paulista fixture against São Paulo, Santos won 3–1 with Neymar scoring and making two assists.[64] On 18 March, Neymar told that he had a "dream of playing in Europe, for a big club like Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea." He went on to say, "There's no point in speculating when I'll leave Santos. I'll leave when I want to."[65]
Neymar scored all four goals, had another disallowed and hit the post as Santos beatUnião Barbarense 4–0 in thePaulista on 13 April.[66] On 25 April, his agent and father revealed that Neymar intended to leave for Europe before the2014 FIFA World Cup.[67] Neymar finished the state league campaign with 12 goals, and was runner-up in the top scorers charts, as Santos finished state league runner-up to Corinthians. Ahead of his last match for Santos, on 26 May against Flamengo in the first round of the2013 Brazilian Championship, Neymar was in tears during the national anthem, with the match ending in a draw.[68]
On 24 May 2013, Santos announced that they had received two offers for Neymar. The following day, Neymar announced he would sign with Barcelona on 27 May and join the team after playing in the2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. Neither Neymar nor the clubs released details on the transfer fee or personal terms, save to say he signed a five-year deal.[69] On 3 June, Neymar was unveiled by Barcelona after passing medical tests and signing a contract that would keep him at the club through June 2018.[70]
Neymar was presented at theCamp Nou in front of 56,500 fans, a record turnout for a Brazilian player.[71] Club vice-presidentJosep Maria Bartomeu initially said Neymar's transfer fee was €57.1 million and his release clause set at €190 million.[72][73] Barcelona's doctor suggested he might need to gain weight to be able to cope physically in Spanish football.[74]
Transfer investigation
In January 2014, the prosecutor's office inMadrid began investigating the transfer fee that Barcelona paid for Neymar.[75] The documents submitted to the authorities on request contained contradictory information.[75] On 23 January 2014,Rosell resigned from his position as president.[76] A day later, the details of the transfer were revealed by Barcelona; the transfer had in fact cost them €86.2 million (£71.5 million),[77][78][79] with Neymar's parents confirmed to have received a €40 million sum.[80][81] In the aftermath, Barcelona and Bartomeu were charged withtax fraud.[82]
2013–14: Adapting to Spain
Neymar during his presentation for Barcelona in June 2013
Six days later, Neymar scored his first goal in La Liga in Barcelona's 4–1 defeat ofReal Sociedad at Camp Nou.[87] On 26 October, he made his firstEl Clásico appearance, scoring the opening goal and assisting the team's winning goal scored by Alexis Sánchez as Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2–1 at Camp Nou.[88] On 11 December, Neymar recorded his firstthree Champions League goals as he scored ahat-trick in a 6–1 win overCeltic in Barcelona's finalGroup H match.[89]
2014–15: The treble and individual success
Neymar playing for Barcelona againstVillarreal in La Liga in 2015
On 13 September 2014, after appearing as a substitute, Neymar scored his first two goals of the2014–15 season, helping Barcelona beatAthletic Bilbao 2–0. On 27 September, he scored a hat-trick againstGranada in a 6–0 win[90] and scored in his next threeLa Liga matches, including the opening goal in a 1–3 loss to Real Madrid atEstadio Santiago Bernabéu.[91]
On 24 January 2015, Neymar scored twice and assisted two more goals in a 6–0 win atElche.[92] On 28 January, he scored his 20th goal of the season in a 3–2Copa del Rey quarter-final win over Atlético Madrid.[93] On 4 March, Neymar scored twice in Barcelona's 3–1 Copa del Rey semi-final win overVillarreal to qualify the club for its 37th Spanish Cupfinal.[94] On 21 April, Neymar took his tally to 30 goals for the season by scoring twice in Barcelona's 2–0Champions League quarter-final win overParis Saint-Germain (PSG).[95]
In May, the closing month of the season, Neymar scored the last goal in a 3–0 win againstBayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.[96] A week later, he scored both the team's goals in a 3–2-second leg defeat at theAllianz Arena to ensureBarça would qualify for the2015 UEFA Champions League Final.[97] He also opened the scoring with a header in a 2–0 league win versus Real Sociedad, a result which gaveBarça a four-point lead over Real Madrid with only two matches remaining.[98]
Barcelona fans prior to the2015 UEFA Champions League Final in Berlin holding up pictures of the attacking trio, Messi, Suárez and Neymar (MSN)
After securing theleague title on 17 May with a 1–0 win over Atlético Madrid at the Vicente Calderón, Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 3–1 at Camp Nou in the2015 Copa del Rey Final on 30 May, with Neymar scoring the second goal forBarça.[99] With Barcelona's victory likely, he performed tricks with the ball in the final stages of the game, which was deemed unsporting by opponentAndoni Iraola. Barcelona managerLuis Enrique claimed that it had to be understood that such behaviour was acceptable in Brazil, while Neymar himself did not apologise.[100]
On 6 June, Neymar scored the third goal forBarça in the 3–1 Champions League Final defeat of Italian championsJuventus at Berlin'sOlympiastadion, ensuring the club won its fifthEuropean Cup.[101] This made Barcelona the first club in history to twice winthe treble of domestic league, domestic cup and European Cup.[102] On a personal note, he became the eighth player in football's history to win both theCopa Libertadores and the UEFA Champions League, and the first player to score in final victories in both competitions.[103] Neymar ended the season with 39 goals in all competitions and 10 in the Champions League, making him joint highest scorer withCristiano Ronaldo and teammateLionel Messi in the latter competition.[104] He was the first player apart from those two to top the competition's scoring list, since compatriotKaká in2006–07.[105] Barcelona's attacking trio of Messi,Luis Suárez and Neymar, dubbed "MSN", ended with 122 goals, the most in a season for an attacking trio in Spanish football history.[106]
2015–16: Domestic double
Neymar prior to a friendly against Saudi clubAl-Ahli in December 2016
Due to having themumps, Neymar was expected to miss the2015 UEFA Super Cup and the2015 Supercopa de España.[107] On 17 October, Neymar scored four goals in Barcelona's 5–2 home win overRayo Vallecano in La Liga, taking his total to eight goals for the season.[108] On 21 November, Neymar scored one and provided a back heel assist forAndrés Iniesta in Barcelona's 4–0 away win against Real Madrid.[109] He scored twice in a 4–0 home win over Real Sociedad on 28 November, taking his La Liga total to 14 goals in 12 games.[110] On 30 November, Neymar was shortlisted for the2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or alongside Messi and Ronaldo, and subsequently came third.[111][112] On 22 May 2016, Neymar scored a late goal in Barcelona's 2–0extra time win overSevilla in the2016 Copa del Rey Final at the Vicente Calderón, as the club celebrated winning thedomestic double for the second consecutive season, following their treble victory from the previous season.[113][114] The front three of Messi, Suárez and Neymar finished the season with 131 goals, breaking the record they had set the previous year for most goals by an attacking trio in a single season.[115]
"While there is a 1% chance, we will have 99% faith."
— Neymar after the 4–0 loss againstPSG on 15 February 2017[116]
Neymar (middle) on the ball during the Champions League second leg win against PSG in February 2017
2016–17: Final season
In Barcelona's6–1 victory over PSG in theChampions League round of 16, Neymar had a miraculous and heroic role in Barcelona's comeback, by scoring two goals and assisted the decisive goal ofSergi Roberto during the closing seven-minute sequence, of which he was namedman of the match, based on his efforts.[117][118] Overcoming the 4–0 loss to PSG in the first leg from 14 February 2017, this second leg match became the biggest comeback in Champions League history.[119]
On 2 April, Neymar scored his 100th goal for Barcelona in his 177th appearance for the club, netting in a 4–1 win overGranada.[120][121] On 27 May, Neymar scored in the2017 Copa del Rey Final, his 105th goal for the club, as Barcelona defeatedAlavés 3–1 at theVicente Calderón in Madrid.[122]
Desire to leave Barcelona
According to former Barcelona teammate Xavi, Neymar informed his teammates of his desire to leave Barcelona at Messi's wedding in June 2017.[123] By July 2017, media speculation emerged that Neymar wanted to join PSG, with the club holding talks with Barcelona officials. At 25-years old, Neymar was motivated to leave Barcelona to step out of Messi's shadow and be the sole star player, increasing the likelihood of him winning the Ballon d'Or.[124] Barcelona president, Bartomeu, admitted he was powerless to stop him from wanting to leave: "Neymar is one of our best players and so we don't want to lose that player," he said. "We want him to continue with us. He still has four years of his contract so there is nothing else to say [...] You know that players decide if they want to leave, they can decide."[125] On 2 August 2017, Neymar asked Barcelona to allow him to leave.[126]
Paris Saint-Germain
Out of the shadow of Messi, Neymar was viewed as the face of Ligue 1 football
On 3 August 2017, Barcelona announced that Neymar's legal representatives made a payment of €222 million[127] to the club, equal to therelease clause of his contract, which constituted themost expensive transfer ever. The club informed UEFA so that they can determine any disciplinary responsibilities that may arise from this case.[4] According to theBBC, in Spain, the release clause must be activated by the footballer himself. The situation was unusual, in that the fee was paid to the club directly, after La Liga had refused to receive the payment.[128][5] Usually, the buyout clause is deposited with La Liga in order to release the player from his contract, and the league then passes the money to the selling club. However, La Liga rejected the payment—citing violation of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules by PSG, who are backed by money from Gulf stateQatar.[129]
Neymar joined PSG on a contract that would run until 2022.[130] He was offered the number 10 shirt byJavier Pastore as a "welcome gift".[131][132] It was believed that PSG signed Neymar to increase their chances of winning the Champions League.[133]
The relationship between Neymar and Barcelona fans was tainted following his unexpected transfer to PSG, with some fans burning Barcelona jerseys with Neymar's name on it.[134] In his presentation on 17 August, Neymar said that leaving Barcelona was one of the toughest decisions in his life.[135] The presentation was reported to have been watched by 85 million viewers in Brazil.[136] Neymar was unequivocally considered the star player of Ligue 1;Lille's general director Marc Ingla credited the presence of Neymar in Ligue 1 to potentially accelerating it into a powerhouse league in Europe, alongside thePremier League and La Liga.[137]
Contract breach lawsuit
On 27 August 2017, Barcelona filed a lawsuit against Neymar, demanding he return the contract renewal bonus he received as well as €8.5 million in damages and an additional 10% for the arrears. They claimed they are owed money that Neymar received as part of a renewal bonus when he signed a new contract in 2016. The club also requested PSG to take on the responsibility for the payment of the fees if the player cannot do so himself.[138] Neymar's lawyers announced that they would contest the case.[139]
Neymar made his debut forLes Rouge-et-Bleu on 13 August 2017, scoring a goal and assisting another in a 3–0 away victory overGuingamp.[140] Highlighting the hype around Neymar's arrival in Paris, the match was broadcast in 183 countries.[141] After the match, Neymar said, "People think that leaving Barca is to die, but it's the opposite [...] I'm more alive than ever."[142]
During a 3–0 defeat of rivalsMarseille on 25 February 2018, Neymar fractured thefifth metatarsal bone in his right foot. He travelled toBelo Horizonte and underwent a successful operation on his foot.[147] Despite failing to make another appearance for PSG while recovering from the injury, Neymar consequently endedhis first season in Paris with 28 goals in 30 matches, including 6 goals in 7 Champions League matches.[148] A testament to the success of his debut season, Neymar was awarded theLigue 1 Player of the Year.[149]
Neymar was rushed back to play for Brazil at the2018 World Cup in Russia following the injury in February, but his playing style was not quite the same as he appeared to be avoiding physical contact entirely rather than simply trying to draw fouls.[134]
2018–19: Injury and league title
On 12 August 2018, Neymar scored PSG's opening league goal of the2018–19 season in a 3–0 win overCaen at Parc des Princes.[150] Neymar scored from a penalty in his next game as PSG won 3–1 againstGuingamp in Ligue 1.[151] In the following league game, the front three of Neymar, Mbappé and Cavani all scored in a 3–1 win overAngers at home, with Neymar scoring from Mbappé's cut back and setting up Cavani to score the opener.[152]
On 3 October, Neymar scored a hattrick in a 6–1 win overRed Star Belgrade in aChampions League group stage fixture.[153] He suffered a foot injury in late January 2019 that kept him out of his side's Champions League round of 16 tie againstManchester United.[154] After United eliminated PSG, Neymar went on Instagram insulting video review officials for awarding a stoppage-time penalty to United; UEFA banned Neymar for three matches for the insult.[155]
On 27 April, Neymar scored in the2019 Coupe de France Final against Rennes, but Rennes made a comeback and won on penalties. After the match, Neymar was caught on video appearing to punch a spectator in the face.[156] The spectator had been filming and insulting PSG players. PSG said they supported Neymar "100 percent" over the incident.[155] Neymar admitted he was wrong, but argued that neither he nor anyone else could have stayed indifferent. PSG coach Thomas Tuchel responded: "It's not easy to climb the stairs after a defeat. If we lose, we must show respect. You can't come into conflict with a spectator."[156]
Potential return to Barcelona
In July 2019, Neymar was absent from training with PSG, with the club talking disciplinary action.[157] Neymar wanted to leave PSG as he felt referees never protected him, there was jealousy towards him from some dressing room team-mates, fans did not appreciate his talent showcased in PSG and sections of the French media were against him.[158]
According toSky Sports News, Neymar was prepared to pay €20m of his own money to PSG in five instalments to facilitate a move to Barcelona. On 27 August 2019, both clubs met to discuss Neymar's situation, but according to PSG sporting directorLeonardo, Barcelona's only written offer came during the meeting, which was not enough and PSG refused.[158] Three days later, on 30 August, an offer was made in writing from Neymar to PSG general managerJean-Claude Blanc. Neymar's offer was dismissed by PSG because of French football federation regulations,[158] and he ultimately agreed to stay at PSG after the talks to return to Barcelona broke down.[159]Sky Sports News also reported that Real Madrid were interested in signing Neymar throughout the transfer window.[159]
2019–20: PSG's first Champions League final
Neymar made his first appearance for PSG in the2019–20 season on 14 September, in a 1–0 victory overStrasbourg in Ligue 1. He scored the winning goal in injury time in the second half from abicycle kick.[160] One week later, he again scored a late winner, as PSG defeatedLyon 1–0 at theParc Olympique Lyonnais.[161] Neymar suffered a hamstring injury in October while on international duty with Brazil,[162] and returned to play for PSG during theirChampions League group match against Real Madrid on 26 November in a 2–2 draw.
Neymar taking a penalty against Lille during a Ligue 1 match in 2020
Neymar won his third league title after PSG were awarded Ligue 1 as the season finished early due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[163] In his first 50 matches in Ligue 1, Neymar scored 46 goals, being the first player to do so since Marseille'sGunnar Andersson in the early 1950s.[164] On 24 July 2020, in PSG's first professional game back after the pandemic, Neymar scored his side's lone goal in a 1–0 win overSaint-Étienne in theCoupe de France Final, winning his second Coupe de France title with the club.[165] On 31 July, PSG won the2020 Coupe de la Ligue Final 6–5 onpenalties over Lyon, following a 0–0 draw afterextra time, which saw the side complete a domestic treble, with Neymar netting one of the penalties in the shoot-out.[166]
In the Champions League quarter-final againstAtalanta on 12 August, Neymar assisted the equalising goal in injury time in an eventual 2–1 win.[167] As a result of his performance in the match, theBBC published an article the following day titled 'Neymar: Is he now the best player in the world?'.[168] In the semi-final againstRB Leipzig, he assisted one goal in a 3–0 victory, which saw PSG reach theChampions League final for the first time in their history.[169]Marca were also praiseful of Neymar, considering him the most decisive and the best player in the world following his "masterclass" performances leading up to the final.[170] PSG eventually lost out 1–0 to Bayern Munich on 23 August.[171] With his focal ambition of being the talisman to PSG winning its first ever Champions League title, Neymar was distraught and had to be consoled by the club's sporting directorLeonardo.[172] Neymar was amongst the nominees for theUEFA Men's Player of the Year Award, being the highest ranked PSG player at fourth place.[173]
2020–21: Contract extension
Neymar missed out on the first match of the2020–21 season because he had tested positive forCOVID-19 a week earlier;[174] PSG went on to lose the game againstLens 1–0.[175] However, he returned to training before the match against Marseille on 13 September.[176] PSG lostLe Classique for the first time since 2011 as OM were victorious 1–0 in a match that had 14 yellow cards and five red cards handed out by the referee, including one of each to Neymar.[177]
Neymar scored his first two goals of the season in a 6–1 win againstAngers on 2 October.[178] He entered the list of thetop ten goal scorers in PSG history by doing so, scoring his 72nd for the club, which put him level withRaí.[179] On 28 October, Neymar suffered an adductor injury in a match againstİstanbul Başakşehir, leaving the pitch after 26 minutes of play.[180] He made his return to action as a substitute in a 3–2 loss againstMonaco on 20 November,[181] and scored his first goal after recovering from his injury in a 1–0 win againstRB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League on 24 November.[182]
On 28 November, Neymar scored his 50th goal in Ligue 1, converting a penalty in PSG's 2–2 draw againstBordeaux. This made him the fastest player in the club's history to reach this, doing so in only 58 matches.[183] Four days later, on 2 December, he scored two goals in a 3–1 Champions League victory againstManchester United atOld Trafford.[184] In PSG's final group match, Neymar scored his third career Champions League hat-trick against İstanbul Başakşehir, as his side won 5–1 and qualified for the knockout stage as group winners.[185] He became the first player in European Cup and Champions League history to score 20 goals for two different clubs, scoring 21 goals for Barcelona in 40 games, and 20 for PSG in 25 games.[186] In a 1–0 loss toLyon on 13 December, Neymar suffered an ankle injury after a tackle fromThiago Mendes, and had to be stretchered off the field.[187] He avoided a fracture, but was ruled out of action for three weeks with a sprain.[188] His return proved to be exactly one month after his injury, on 13 January 2021, in a 2–1 win over rivals Marseille in theTrophée des Champions, with Neymar scoring the winning goal from a penalty.[189] He sustained a left adductor injury in a 1–0 cup win overCaen on 10 February, ruling him out for four weeks.[190] On 21 March, he was back in action, coming on as a substitute in a 4–2 league win against Lyon.[191]
In the2020–21 UEFA Champions League, PSG were eliminated byManchester City in the semi-finals. Neymar was absent for PSG's defeat of Barcelona, but he was present in both matches of the quarter-finals against Bayern Munich and both semi-final confrontations against Man City. On 8 May, he extended his contract with PSG until 2025.[192]
On 10 August 2021, Neymar's former Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi signed for PSG.[193] On 29 August, Neymar made his first appearance of the season, being a starter in a 2–0 win overReims. Messi replaced Neymar at 66th minute of the match, making his debut for the French club.[194] Neymar scored his first goal of the2021–22 season on 19 September, converting a penalty in a 2–1 win over Lyon.[195] He scored his 400th career goal on 6 November againstBordeaux, where he scored a brace and helped the team to win the match 3–2.[196]
On 28 November, Neymar suffered an ankle injury in a 3–1 win over Saint-Étienne. He was taken off on a stretcher at the 85th minute of the match.[197] His return from injury came on 15 February 2022 in a Champions League match against Real Madrid, where he came on as a substitute and assisted Mbappé's injury-time goal to win the match 1–0.[198] Four days later, he made his return to league play and his first start in 2022 in a match againstNantes; he scored a goal and missed a penalty in a 3–1 loss at theStade de la Beaujoire.[199] On 13 March, following their Champions League elimination against Real Madrid in theround of 16, Neymar and his team-mate Messi were booed by some of the PSG fans at theParc des Princes in the league match against Bordeaux.[200][201] On 21 May, he scored his 100th goal with PSG in a 5–0 win overMetz.[202] Neymar helped PSG win their record-tying 10th national championship, finishing the season with 13 goals and 8 assists across all competitions, registering the fewest goals scored since arriving in Europe in 2013, in a season marked by various injuries and collective irregularity.[203]
2022–23: Final season at PSG
Neymar (middle) celebrating a goal with PSG team-mates Messi and Mbappé
Following a disappointing form in the previous season and with the club's change in transfer policy, Neymar was linked with a potential departure from the club, but the lack of potential suitors broke down a potential move, despite PSG's Football AdvisorLuís Campos dismissing those rumours – stating that Neymar was part of the club's project.[204] He quickly regained his form from his previous season, starting off the season by scoring a goal and providing a hat-trick of assists in a 5–0 win againstClermont on 6 August.[204][205] As part of his prolific attacking trio alongside Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi, on 21 August, all three scored and assisted with Neymar netting twice and registering three more assists in PSG's 7–1 away win overLille.[206][207]
After registering 13 goal contributions in his first five league games, Neymar was named Ligue 1'sPlayer of the Month in August.[204][208] By early October 2022, Neymar was considered one of the stand-out players in Europe and back to his best form, having scored 11 goals and providing 9 assists in just 13 games.[209] ManagerChristophe Galtier praised Neymar for playing his best ever football in PSG.[210] Neymar's form in the first half of the season led him to be touted to win the2023 Ballon d'Or, alongside the likes ofErling Haaland and Mbappé.[211]
On 6 March 2023, PSG announced that Neymar would undergo surgery inDoha and would be ruled out for the remainder of the season.[212] This led to Neymar missing PSG's second leg of theirChampions League round of 16 tie against Bayern Munich, in which PSG ended up being eliminated. After reports that Messi would leave the club following the expiration of his contract, a group of PSG supporters gathered outside the club's headquarters, protesting against the club's direction and insulting various figures of the club, including Neymar. Another group of individuals went to Neymar's house, demanding him to leave the club.[213][214]
August 2023: Departure
"It is naturally difficult to say goodbye to a legend of the club, which Neymar will always be. I will never forget the day he arrived at PSG, nor what he brought to the club and to our project over the course of these six years. We have lived through extraordinary times and Neymar will always be a part of our history. I want to thank him, as well as his family. We wish Neymar the best for the future and for his next adventure."
Despite being PSG's fourth-highest scorer and winning ten trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles, Neymar's tenure at PSG was marred by injuries and unfulfilled expectations, most notably not helping PSG win a Champions League. He missed 119 matches for PSG in total as a result of being injured around 20 times across his six-year spell, showing a fragility that was not seen either at Barcelona or Santos.[216] James Westwood ofGoal wrote that Neymar wasted the best years of his career and that in 2017 he had "the world at his feet" playing for Barcelona, throwing away his chance to join Pelé and Messi as a "true legend of the game" by joining PSG.[134]
Regardless, Neymar has been credited as a legend of PSG, trailing only Ibrahimović, Cavani, and Mbappé in the club's top scorers at the time of his departure.[142] During his time at PSG, he embraced the role of a true number 10, evolving into a more well-rounded player as he took on greater responsibility in dictating the flow of the game, more so than during his tenure at Barcelona. He also assumed greater priority within the team, being entrusted with set pieces and penalties. His goal-scoring success at PSG made him one of the few players to have scored at least 100 goals for three different clubs,[217] and he also established himself as the highest-scoring Brazilian in the Champions League at the club.[218]
At the end of the 2022–23 season, PSG began a squad overhaul and after not renewing the contracts ofSergio Ramos and Lionel Messi, following the arrival of Luis Enrique as the club's new manager, Neymar andMarco Verratti were informed that they would not be in the team's plans for the following season.[219] Shortly after, Neymar was linked with a potential return to Barcelona. However, Barcelona's hierarchy never reached an advanced stage to discuss finer economic details and possibilities, as the club's managerXavi was not keen on signing him, leading both clubs to fail to reach an agreement.[220]
Al Hilal
Neymar playing for Al Hilal in October 2023, wearing the number 10 shirt
On 15 August 2023, Neymar completed a transfer toSaudi Pro League clubAl Hilal on a two-year contract, joining a list of European league players who signed for the club.[221][222] The transfer fee was reported to be worth €90 million, making him the most expensive purchase inSaudi Pro League history.[222] He is also reportedly being paid €150m a year at Al Hilal, six times the amount he earned at PSG.[223] As a marquee signing, Neymar's transfer to Al Hilal drew comparisons to former Brazil internationalRivellino's transfer to the club in 1978.[224]
According toThe Independent, Barcelona were the only European club who showed genuine interest in signing Neymar; other top clubs turned away primarily due to his high salary and the expected transfer fee to sign him.[225] Some media outlets criticised Neymar for choosing to not remain in a top European league and dubbed him as the 'Prince who never became King' due to leaving Europe without winning the Ballon d'Or.[226][227] However, Neymar declared, "I wouldn't be surprised if the Saudi league is better than the French", in light of fellow star players joining the league, includingCristiano Ronaldo andKarim Benzema.[224]
On 15 September 2023, he made his club debut in Saudi Arabia during a 6–1 thrashing ofAl-Riyadh, coming off the bench and providing an assist to a goal by fellow Brazilian,Malcom.[228] That same year, on 3 October, Neymar scored his first goal for the club in a 3–0 away win againstNassaji Mazandaran in anAFC Champions League group stage match.[229] Having played five games for his new club, Neymarruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while on international duty in October 2023.[230] In January 2024, Al Hilal deregistered Neymar as a result of his season ending injury, in order to free up one of the eight foreign roster spots forRenan Lodi.[231]
Neymar returned to action on 21 October 2024 during Al Hilal'sAFC Champions League match againstAl Ain, marking his comeback after a lengthy absence.[232] However, a few weeks later, he suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the rest of the year.[233] In January 2025, Neymar was not registered for the league competition during the second half of the2024–25 season, in which Al Hilal coachJorge Jesus stated in the press room: "Neymar can no longer perform at the level we are used to. Things have become difficult for him, unfortunately".[234] On 27 January 2025, the club announced an agreement for the termination of his contract by mutual consent.[235]
Neymar totalled one goal and three assists in seven appearances for Al Hilal;[236] various media outlets debated whether Neymar's transfer to the club is the worst transfer in football history.[237][238][239]
Return to Santos
Neymar captaining Santos and playing againstBotafogo in 2025
On 30 January 2025, Neymar announced through his social media that he would be signing a contract with his first clubSantos.[240][241] The following day, Santos confirmed his return.[242] He will wear the number 10, the number which Pelé had worn during his time spent between 1956 and 1974.[243]
Neymar made his re-debut forPeixe on 6 February 2025, coming on as a half-time substitute forGabriel Bontempo in a 1–1 Campeonato Paulista home draw againstBotafogo-SP.[244] According toReuters, "The Urbano Caldeira stadium erupted in celebration as jubilant and tearful fans lit up their mobile phones to give the striker, who left the club 12 years ago, a hero's welcome before kick-off."[245] He received theMan of the Match award after the match.[246]
He scored his first goal after returning ten days later, netting the opener in a 3–1 home win overÁgua Santa through a penalty; he also assistedGuilherme in the club's third goal, and a Man of the Match award.[247] On 23 February 2025, Neymar scored directly from a corner kick and earned another Man of the Match.[248][249]
International career
2010–2012: Senior debut and first major tournaments
Neymar at a press conference forBrazil in August 2010. He made his senior debut that month aged 18.
Following Neymar's performances for Santos in their successful early 2010 season, including winning the2010 Copa do Brasil, in which he was the top goalscorer, and the2010 Campeonato Paulista, in which he scored 14 goals, former Brazilian football players Pelé and Romário reportedly urged coachDunga to take Neymar to the2010 World Cup.[27] Although the opinion that Neymar deserved a place in Dunga's squad went as far as a 14,000 signature petition,[27][250] and despite the pressure on Dunga to pick Neymar,[251] he was omitted from both the squad of 23,[252][253] and the stand-by list.[254] Although Dunga described Neymar as "extremely talented", he said that the 18-year-old had not been tested sufficiently on the international level to earn a World Cup spot and he had failed to impress enough while on international duty.[255]
On 26 July 2010, Neymar was selected for the first time in theBrazil senior team by new head coachMano Menezes for a friendly match against theUnited States to be played inEast Rutherford, New Jersey. On 10 August 2010 he made his debut with the national team in that game, aged 18 years old, starting the match and wearing the number 11 jersey. He scored on his debut after 28 minutes, a header coming from anAndré Santos cross in a 2–0 win for Brazil.[256] On 1 March 2011, Neymar said: "Being on the Brazilian team is a privilege, There are some marvelous players and I'm very happy to be among them."[9]
On 27 March 2011, he scored twice in a 2–0 win againstScotland at theEmirates Stadium.[257] During the match againstScotland, a banana was thrown onto the pitch after he scored from the penalty spot, which led Neymar to complain about 'constant jeering and an atmosphere of racism', implying that Scottish fans exhibited racism.[258][259] While Scottish officials explained that Neymar had been booed solely for perceived injury-feigning, a German student who was in the stadium amongst Brazil supporters said that he threw the banana with no racist intentions. This led to theScottish Football Association asking theBrazilian Football Confederation for an apology for the accusations made to the Scottish fans.[260][261] Neymar refused to apologise or retract his words, claiming he "did not accuse any person or any group of supporters".[262][263]
Neymar was the leading goal scorer of the2011 South American Youth Championship with nine goals, including two in the final, in Brazil's 6–0 win against Uruguay.[264] He also took part at the2011 Copa América inArgentina, where he scored two goals in the first-round game againstEcuador. He was selected 'Man of the Match' in Brazil's first match againstVenezuela, which ended a1–1 draw. Brazil were eliminated in the quarter-finals in apenalty shoot-out againstParaguay (2–2a.e.t.), with Neymar being substituted in the 80th minute.[265]
Neymar with Brazilian teammateLucas Moura on international duty in 2012
On 11 May 2012, Neymar was selected for the squad of theBrazil Olympic football team to participate in theLondon 2012 Olympic Games.[266]In Brazil's first warm-up match on 20 July 2012, against the host nationGreat Britain atRiverside Stadium, Neymar was involved in both goals of a 2–0 win, first making an assist with a free-kick into the six-yard box forSandro's header, before converting a penalty.[267] On 26 July, he scored his first goal in Brazil's opening fixture againstEgypt, which ended a 3–2 victory for Brazil.[268] In the following match againstBelarus atOld Trafford in Manchester, Neymar scored a free-kick from 25-yards into the top-right corner of the goal and set up goals forAlexandre Pato's header with a cross from the right andOscar with a back heel as Brazil secured their place in the quarter-finals with a 3–1 win. Afterwards he said: "I scored and made two assists so for me it was perfect".[269][270]
On 5 August 2012, in the quarter-final encounter againstHonduras, Neymar scored a penalty, his third goal of the tournament and assisted inLeandro Damião's second goal on the match, to help Brazil to a 3–2 victory atSt James' Park and book a place in the semi-finals.[271] On 11 August, Brazil lost 2–1 toMexico in the final atWembley Stadium in London.[272]
Neymar was selected as part ofLuiz Felipe Scolari's Brazil squad for the2013 Confederations Cup on home soil. For the tournament he was assigned the number 10 shirt, having previously worn 11.[275]
Neymar scored the first goal of the tournament in a 3–0 win overJapan at theEstádio Nacional Mané Garrincha on 15 June.[276] In their second match, Neymar scored after nine minutes and crossed forJô's late goal to give Brazil a 2–0 win overMexico.[277] He scored in his third consecutive match, with a powerful free kick from the edge of the penalty area, as Brazil beatItaly 4–2, and received his third consecutive man-of-the-match award.[278][279]
On 30 June, Neymar was involved inFred's opening goal and then subsequently scored Brazil's second in the 3–0final victory overSpain.[280] Neymar's performances saw him receive theGolden Ball for player of the tournament.[281]
On 5 March 2014, Neymar scored a hat-trick in a friendly win againstSouth Africa inJohannesburg. He made headlines for his conduct after the final whistle when a South African boy ran onto the pitch. As security staff began to escort the boy from the field, Neymar intervened and introduced him to his Brazil teammates before they lifted him in the air during their celebrations.[282][283]
Neymar prepares to take a free kick during Brazil's opening match of the2014 FIFA World Cup against Croatia.
Neymar evading a tackle againstMexico at the 2014 World Cup
On 2 June, Neymar was named in the Brazil squad for the2014 FIFA World Cup.[284] Going into the tournament, as the team's star player Neymar was expected to lead Brazil to their sixth World Cup success, and first title on home soil.[285] One week prior to the team's opening match, Neymar scored once and made two assists in a 4–0 friendly win overPanama.[286]
Neymar earned his 50th international cap in the opening match of the tournament, on 12 June againstCroatia inSão Paulo. In the 26th minute, with Croatia leading 1–0, Neymar elbowed Croatian midfielderLuka Modrić, after which Neymar was issued ayellow card.[287] Many critics agreed that Neymar's punishment was too lenient and that he should have been issued ared card.[288][289][290] He equalised before half-time with a shot from outside the box and gave Brazil the lead in the second half with a penalty kick, following acontroversial decision by the referee, in an eventual 3–1 win.[291] In the third group match, he again scored twice as theSeleção defeatedCameroon 4–1 to reach theknockout stage.[292] In theround of 16 againstChile, the match finished 1–1 after 120 minutes and was decided by a penalty shoot-out with Neymar scoring what proved to be the winning kick for Brazil.[293]
In thequarter-final win overColombia, while challenging for the ball, Neymar was kneed in the back byJuan Camilo Zúñiga and had to be removed from the pitch on a stretcher. A hospital scan revealed that Neymar had suffered afractured vertebra in his spine and he missed the rest of the World Cup.[294] Earlier in the match, Neymar assistedThiago Silva's opening goal with a cross from a corner kick.[295] It was the second Neymar assist from a corner in the tournament, after creatingDavid Luiz's goal in the previous round against Chile.[293] Without their injured talisman Neymar (and the suspended captain Thiago Silva), Brazil would ultimately lose in the semi-final in a stunning7–1 defeat toeventual champion Germany on 8 July.[296]
On 11 July, Neymar was named on the 10-man shortlist for FIFA'sGolden Ball award for the tournament's best player.[297] He won theBronze Boot as the tournament's third top goalscorer and was named in theWorld Cup All Star XI.[298]
2015–2016: Assuming the captaincy and Olympic gold
With captainThiago Silva ruled out through injury, new coachDunga decided to make Neymar captain and confirmed on 5 September that the forward would stay on as skipper on a permanent basis.[299] On 14 October 2014, Neymar scored four goals in one game for the first time in his international career, scoring all of Brazil's goals in 4–0 friendly win against Japan at theNational Stadium, Singapore.[300] At the age of just 22 years, Neymar had scored 40 goals in 58 internationals, and had become thefifth highest goalscorer for his national team.[300][301] On 26 March 2015, Neymar scored Brazil's second goal in a 3–1 friendly win overFrance in Paris.[302]
On 14 June 2015, in Brazil's openingCopa América fixture, Neymar scored the equaliser and assisted the stoppage-time winning goal byDouglas Costa as Brazil came from 0–1 down to beatPeru 2–1 inTemuco.[303] After Brazil's second match, a 0–1 loss toColombia inSantiago, Neymar was booked for handball, resulting in a suspension. After the final whistle, he wasred carded for deliberately kicking the ball atPablo Armero, and as a result was pushed over by Colombian strikerCarlos Bacca, who was also dismissed.[304]CONMEBOL issued Neymar with a four-match ban, ruling him out for the remainder of the tournament, in addition to a $10,000 fine.[305]
The CBF had wanted Neymar to play at theCopa América Centenario and theOlympics in Rio during the summer of 2016, but after a request from Barcelona manager Luis Enrique, he was rested from the first tournament.[306] In late June 2016, he was subsequently one of the three over-23 players to be included inBrazil's squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics on home soil, and was named the team's captain by the Olympic side's managerRogério Micale.[307][308]
Neymar preparing to strike the winning penalty kick for Brazil against Germany in theOlympic final
In Brazil's quarter-final clash withColombia on 13 August, Neymar scored Brazil's first goal of the match, from adirect free kick, and also set up his nation's second goal in an eventual 2–0 win.[309] In Brazil's semi-final clash withHonduras on 18 August, Neymar scored twice, Brazil's first and last goals of the match, in a 6–0 win.[310]
In the final against Germany at theMaracanã in Rio on 20 August, Neymar opened the scoring with a free-kick after 27 minutes. The game finished 1–1 afterMax Meyer equalised in the second-half. Brazil beat Germany 5–4 on penalties, and Neymar scored the winning penalty to bring Brazil its first Olympic gold medal in men's football.[311][312] Both during and prior to the tournament, he had been subjected to criticism over his conduct on and off the pitch, with several former Brazil players suggesting that he was not fit to captain the national team.[313] Neymar subsequently renounced the captaincy following their Olympic victory.[314]
In May 2018, Neymar was named inTite's final 23-mansquad for the2018 World Cup in Russia.[315] On 3 June 2018, he made his international comeback after a three-month absence from a foot injury and scored a goal in a 2–0 win overCroatia in a friendly match atAnfield.[316] The following week, he became Brazil's joint-third highest goalscorer alongside Romário when he scored his 55th international goal in a 3–0 friendly win overAustria.[317] In Brazil's second World Cup match, played againstCosta Rica at theKrestovsky Stadium, Saint Petersburg, on 22 June, Neymar scored the team's second goal in injury time as Brazil won 2–0.[318] The goal, his 56th for Brazil, took him third in the all-time scoring chart behind only Pelé andRonaldo.[319]
On 2 July, Neymar scored his second goal of the World Cup in a 2–0 win over Mexico in the last 16, while also assistingRoberto Firmino for his goal.[320] After the Mexico game,BBC Sport wrote that despite Neymar's "good performances" coming up top in several statistics at the World Cup, "there is still a sense that he remains widely unpopular among neutrals" due to his "petulance and the play-acting". Meanwhile, Brazilian newspaperO Globo wrote that "Neymar has charmed Brazil, but annoyed the whole world".[321] On 6 July, Brazil were eliminated after losing 2–1 againstBelgium in the quarter-finals, with Neymar denied an injury time equaliser by a finger-tip save from Belgium goalkeeperThibaut Courtois.[322]
2019–2021: Copa América runner-up
In May 2019, Neymar was included in Brazil's 23-man squad for the2019 Copa América on home soil.[323] On 5 June, however, he suffered an ankle injury in a 2–0 friendly win overQatar and was ruled out of the tournament, with Neymar expected to miss four weeks due to the injury.[324][325]
On 10 October 2019, Neymar played his 100th match for Brazil in a friendly draw 1–1 withSenegal in Singapore.[326] On 13 October 2020, he scored ahat-trick in a2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier againstPeru, which Brazil won 4–2. He reached his 64th international goal and surpassedRonaldo as the nation's second highest goalscorer of all time.[327]
On 13 June 2021, in Brazil's opening group match of the2021 Copa América, which took place on home soil, Neymar scored his team's second goal from the penalty spot and later assisted another forGabriel Barbosa in a 3–0 win over Venezuela.[328] In the following match on 17 June, he once again scored the second goal in an eventual 4–0 win over Peru.[329] On 23 June he assistedCasemiro's match–winning goal from a corner in injury time of a 2–1 win over Colombia.[330] On 2 July, he assistedLucas Paquetá's goal in a 1–0 win over Chile in the quarter-finals of the competition.[331] Three days later, he once again assisted Paquetá for the only goal of the match in the semi-finals against Peru.[332] On 10 July, Brazil were defeated 1–0 byArgentina in thefinal.[333] Despite the loss, Neymar was named the player of the tournament alongside Argentina's Messi for his performances throughout the competition.[334]
On 9 September 2021, Neymar scored the second goal in a 2–0 win over Peru and became Brazil's all-time top scorer inFIFA World Cup qualification matches, with 12 in total.[335]
2022–present: World Cup and all-time Brazil top scorer
Neymar's (bottom left) brilliant form was one of the reasons why Brazil were favourites to win the2022 World Cup.[336]
On 7 November 2022, Neymar was named in the Brazil squad for the2022 FIFA World Cup.[337] Neymar was arguably in the best form of his career before the tournament started during the 2022–23 season, scoring 15 goals and providing 11 assists in just 20 games.[338][336] According to Maram Albaharna and several other sports journalists, he was a large part of the reason why Brazil were favourites to win the World Cup.[339][340][338]
Neymar played 79 minutes of Brazil's first match on 24 November, a 2–0 win against Serbia, but was unable to play the next two group games due to ankle ligament damage.[341] Neymar recovered from his injury to play againstSouth Korea in the last 16 on 5 December, where he assisted Vinícius Júnior's opening goal and scored a penalty in a 4–1 win for Brazil;[342] as a result, he became only the third Brazilian player ever, after Pelé and Ronaldo, to score in three different World Cups.[343] Four days later, in the quarter-final match againstCroatia, Neymar scored his 77th international goal and equalled Pelé's official goal tally for the national team, a goal which journalistMichael Cox described as one of the "greatest individual goals in football history".[344] Brazil, however, suffered a shock defeat, losing 4–2 in the ensuing penalty shootout following a 1–1 draw after extra time, before Neymar was able to take Brazil's final penalty.[343][345]
'Keep inspiring us. I will keep punching the air with joy for every goal you score'
—Pelé congratulates Neymar on equalling his record of 77 official international goals.[346]
On 8 September 2023, Neymar scored twice for Brazil in a 5–1 win overBolivia in their opening match for2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. His 78th and 79th goals in his 125th appearance for Brazil, Neymar became thenational team's top goalscorer ahead of Pelé.[347][348] Mimicking Pelé's punch in the air goal celebration with the first of his two goals, Neymar stated after the game that he never imagined he would reach the record.[348][349] On 17 October, in Brazil's 2–0 qualifying defeat toUruguay, Neymar was taken off in tears on a stretcher at the end of the first half, following an awkward landing after a challenge. Neymar would confirm later that week that he had ruptured hisACL andmeniscus completely in his left knee and would need to undergo surgery, likely ruling him out for the remainder of the 2023–24 campaign;[230] consequently, he was left out of Brazil's squad for the2024 Copa América.[350]
On 2 March 2025, Neymar was named in the 29 men in the preliminary squad for the national team.
"[Neymar] is a master dribbler, and he sees openings that other players don't. He can create chances out of nothing and more often than not, has the finishing touch or decisive final pass to match his ingenuity on the ball."[134]
Neymar'sdribbling skills and playmaking ability have been described as reminiscent of Brazilian compatriotRonaldinho. His main traits are his vision, passing, finishing, dribbling,feints, and first touch, being described as both "electric" and "explosive".[355][356][357] He is known for using therainbow flick.[358] A prolific goalscorer,[359] Neymar is two-footed and can even scorefree-kicks andpenalties.[353][360] Neymar stated: "I'm always trying to perfect everything – dribbling, shooting, headers and control. You can always improve".[9] He has been inspired by Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi,Cristiano Ronaldo,Andrés Iniesta,Xavi, andWayne Rooney.[361][362] Neymar citesKyle Walker as the toughest opponent he has ever faced.[363]
Neymar, on the ball for PSG in 2018, has been compared to compatriotsPelé and Ronaldinho.
Considered to be a highly promising player in his youth,[364] Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho had also tipped Neymar on becoming the best player in the world, stating in 2013: "Neymar is young though, and I can't explain how special he will become. In the next two or three seasons he will become the best player."[365] Another Brazilian legendRonaldo also believed that Neymar could become the best in the world, commenting: "Logically, Messi is better right now but Neymar is a great talent who will show the world that he will be number one".[366] Former Real Madrid sporting directorJorge Valdano has also praised Neymar, stating: "I like Neymar a lot. Many of his individual actions result in a goal and often it's a move that only seems to be happening with him on the pitch."[367] After joining Barcelona, Neymar established himself as one of the best footballers in the world, generally being considered the third-best player of his generation behind Messi and Ronaldo.[368][369][370] Neymar is also widely regarded as the best Brazilian player of his generation.[371][372]
"And so, circus Neymar arrived in Dortmund. The Brazilian's moods, histrionics, petulance, and goalscoring prowess were on view in every fascinating and exasperating detail."
—Forbes on some of the traits associated with Neymar following a Champions League game for PSG against Borussia Dortmund, February 2020.[373]
However, Neymar also has been known and criticised for his excessivediving[374][375][376][377] when tackled by another player. Brazilian legendPelé has said, "[h]e is a player with a body that can't take a lot of hits. [...] A lot of times he will fall because he can't do anything else, but he was overdoing it." He continued: "Even when he is fouled, he can't make a spectacle out of it".[378] During the 2018 World Cup, Neymar inspired on the “Neymar Challenge” on social media due to his dramatic dives.[379][380] As the star player for Brazil and PSG, he is often the most targeted player on the field; in 2018, he was the most fouled player in the top five leagues.[381] A divisive figure in the sport, he has been accused of exaggerating injury, withEric Cantona stating Neymar is a "great actor", comparing him to a wheeled suitcase: "you barely touch it, and it turns round and round for hours."[382][383] In response to the criticism over his petulance and histrionics, Neymar starred in a commercial after the 2018 World Cup where he said that he wasn't able to control his frustrations, which contributed to his theatrics, and he promised to change for the better.[384]
Expectations
From 2018 onwards, injuries and controversies blighted Neymar's career.[385]
Despite being the all-time top goalscorer for Brazil, Neymar is criticised by the media for not fulfilling the expectations set for him at the beginning of his career: winning the Ballon d'Or and leading Brazil to a World Cup win.[386] According toSports Illustrated, Neymar could end his career as the best player never to win a Ballon d'Or or World Cup.[387] Neymar finished in third place in the 2015 and 2017 editions of the Ballon d'Or, both times behindMessi and Ronaldo.
At PSG, Neymar was also expected to lead them to their first-ever Champions League title; the club lost to Bayern Munich in the 2020 final.[386] His injury struggles at PSG hindered his playing time and his explosiveness. The injuries contributed to him not achieving more in his prime years, as he cumulatively missed 119 matches[216] and only played over 30 games (in a single season) once for PSG.[388][389] In 2023, Spanish publicationMarca wrote that "Neymar's star is dimming due to a seemingly endless string of injuries".[390]
Neymar was also criticised for his lack of professional discipline, with his desire to party and play late-night poker games. In 2018, Pelé criticised Neymar: "It's difficult to defend Neymar for all the things he does besides playing football. I've been with him in Europe twice. We talked and I explained: 'The God of football gave you the gift. What you do complicates it'."[134] In February 2023, the day after PSG lost to Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, images of Neymar in a fast-food restaurant surfaced on social media. Neymar defended himself, saying "It's my life, I do what I want."[216]
In 2023, following his departure from Europe to Saudi Arabia at a young age (31), various media outlets dubbed Neymar as the 'Prince who never became King'.[226][227] Westwood ofGoal cited Neymar's move to PSG as the reason for him not being regarded as a "true legend of the game".[134]RMC Sport journalist Daniel Riolo said: "Do we realise that Neymar, in terms of transfer and salary, is the biggest failure in the history of football? I can't think of a bigger failure for what he cost, it's horrible."[391]
On the contrary, Cox ofThe Athletic argues that Neymar deserves to be regarded as one of football's all-time greats in light of becoming Brazil's all-time topscorer.[392] Tom Hindle ofGoal credits Neymar as among the most talented players ever, also claiming that he had the potential to be a "top five player" of all time.[393] Brazil coachFernando Diniz declared that Neymar is one of the greatest players in history.[394] Lawrence Ostlere ofThe Independent opinionated that Messi was the only player superior in "every facet of the game" than Neymar during his 10-year tenure in Europe.[395]
Comparisons
The media have often drawn comparisons between Neymar and Brazilian legend Pelé,[360] as Neymar possesses similar attributes to that of Pelé, and they both came from the Santos Youth Academy. In February 2013, he was on the cover ofTime magazine with the title 'The Next Pelé'.[396] Neymar has said that Pelé is his "role model" but also said: "I don't like to make a comparison with Pelé".[397]
During his prime years, Neymar has frequently been compared to his Barcelona teammate Lionel Messi, by which Neymar has commented on saying: "Messi is above everyone, there is no use comparing me with him. He is the best player in the world and I always get inspired when I watch good football."[398] Ronaldo stated: "Neymar is a great talent, the best we have in Brazil. He is very similar to Messi."Zico said: "I see Neymar like a [Cristiano] Ronaldo or a Messi, the type who appears and makes things happen."[399] After his hat-trick in a 3–1 victory against Internacional in the Copa Libertadores and Messi's five goals scored in the Champions League, Neymar said: "I am a Messi fan. I was told what he did today. I support him to score a lot of nice goals so I can keep copying and imitating him."[400][401]
Image
Described as a 'hair icon' in sports byGQ Australia, Neymar has a reputation for flamboyant hairstyles.[402]
Personal life
Neymar expresses his Christian faith after winning the gold medal withBrazil at the2016 Summer Olympics.
Neymar has a very closesibling relationship with his sister Rafaella Beckran. He honoured Beckran by tattooing her face on his arm while she tattooed her brother's eyes on her arm.[403] Neymar is the father to one son and two daughters, each with a different woman.[404] In December 2024, he announced he is expecting his fourth child; a second daughter with the mother of his second child.[405]
Neymar is aChristian[6][7] and follows thePentecostal branch of the religion.[406] Neymar has said about his faith: "Life only makes sense when our highest ideal is to serveChrist!"[407] Additionally, he has worn a headband with the words "100% Jesus".[408] Neymar alsotithes some of his income to his church and has namedKaká as his religious role model.[409] Each year, Neymar organises a charity match with fellow Brazilian footballerNenê in Nenê's hometown ofJundiaí, with the purpose of raising food for needy families.[410] In addition to his nativePortuguese, Neymar also speaks Spanish.[411][412]
In July 2019, police announced that a rape investigation against Neymar would be dropped due to insufficient evidence.[413] On 2 September 2020, it was reported that Neymar, along with PSG teammatesÁngel Di María andLeandro Paredes, tested positive for COVID-19. The French sports newspaperL'Équipe said that the three players reportedly went on vacation inIbiza. As a result, they were quarantined for one week, and the rest of the players and working staff were scheduled to take a coronavirus test within the same week.[414][415]
During a match between Paris Saint-Germain and Marseille, Neymar reported being racially abused byÁlvaro González, after being sent off for hitting González in the back of the head.[417] The Spanish defender denied making any racist comments towards Neymar.[418] On 16 September, Neymar was handed a two-match ban for his actions; Ligue 1 also began an investigation into the alleged racist comments made by Álvaro.[419] Several days before the decision made by the French league, Spanish radio stationCadena SER claimed to have footage of Neymar racially abusing OM playerHiroki Sakai.[420] On 30 September, Ligue 1 decided that both Álvaro and Neymar would receive no suspensions as there was insufficient evidence of their wrongdoings.[421] Additionally, Sakai denied any racist comments from Neymar on social media.[422]
In the summer of 2023,Agence France-Presse, citing local authorities, reported that Neymar faced a potential fine of about $1 million for environmental violations committed during the construction of hisMangaratiba mansion. The unauthorised diversion of the waterway, the use of beach sand without permission, and the unauthorised earthworks were mentioned in the report.[423]
Outside football
Wealth and sponsorships
Neymar has signed many sponsorships since his reputation began to grow from the age of 17. In March 2011, he signed an 11-year contract with American sportswear companyNike,[424] which ended in August 2020 after a Nike employee made a sexual assault complaint against him.[425][426] Since then, Neymar has signed with German sportswear companyPuma.[427] In March 2011,Panasonic paid US$2.4 million to secure Neymar's services for two years. In 2012,France Football had ranked Neymar 13th in its list of the world's richest players, with total earnings of $18.8 million for the previous 12 months.[428] He has also signed other sponsorships fromVolkswagen, Tenys Pé Baruel, Lupo,Ambev,Claro,Unilever, andSantander.[429][430][431][432]
In 2018,France Football ranked Neymar the third-highest-paid footballer in the world, earning a total income for €81.5m ($95m) for the year.[433] In 2019,Forbes ranked Neymar theworld's third-highest-paid athlete (after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo) with earnings of $105 million for the year.[434]
On 8 May 2013, Neymar was named bySportsPro magazine as the most marketable athlete in the world, ahead of Lionel Messi (2nd) and Cristiano Ronaldo (8th).[435] The same month, Neymar launched the Nike Hypervenom football boot.[436] In November 2012, advertising agency Loducca created Neymar's own personal brand logo,[437] featuring the N, J, and R (Neymar Junior) with the N styled to match Neymar's shirt number 11.[437] Neymar starred in a 2014 advert forBeats alongside other football stars such asThierry Henry and Luis Suárez, with the theme of 'The Game Before The Game' and the players pre-game ritual of listening to music.[438]
In the later stages of his career, Neymar has been regularly seen playing high limitpoker, including live streamed celebrity games from California'sHustler Casino.[439][440] In 2025, boxerConor Benn called out his rival boxerChris Eubank Jr. at a pre-fight press conference, alleging Eubank Jr. owed Neymar £4 million in poker debts.[441]
Neymar appeared on the cover ofTime magazine in February 2013, the first Brazilian athlete to do so. The issue included an article byBobby Ghosh entitled "The Next Pelé" and subtitled "How the career of Brazilian football star Neymar explains his country's economy".[450]
Controversy erupted because of a cover by Brazilian football magazinePlacar that depicted Neymar on a cross. The title read "A Crucificação de Neymar" (the Crucifixion of Neymar) and subtitled: "the Brazilian ace turns scapegoat in a sport where everyone plays dirty".[451]
In April 2013, Brazilian cartoonistMauricio de Sousa released aMonica's Gang comic book featuring a younger version of Neymar (calledNeymar Jr.) as the main character.[452]
In May 2013,SportsPro magazine named Neymar as the most marketable athlete on the planet for the second consecutive year. He topped the list ahead of Lionel Messi,Rory McIlroy,Usain Bolt and Cristiano Ronaldo, among other sportspeople.[453] The list measures the monetary value, the age, the force in domestic markets, the charisma and their market potential in the next three years.[453] In March 2015, Neymar had the fourth highest social media rank in the world among sportspeople, behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and David Beckham, with 52 million Facebook fans.[454][455] He hasover 200 million Instagram followers, the third highest for a sportsperson (after Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi), and inside the top 20 most followed people.[456] InESPN's list of active sportspeople in 2016, Neymar was ranked the fourth most famous athlete in the world.[457] In April 2017, Neymar was included in theTime 100,Time magazine's list of the most influential people in the world.[458] In 2019, ESPN again ranked him the world's fourth most famous athlete.[459]
To mark theWorld Cup commencing in Brazil, in June 2014, Neymar appeared with supermodelGisele Bündchen on the front cover ofVogue's Brazilian edition.[460] In November 2014, Neymar appeared in FIFA's "11 againstEbola" campaign with a selection of top football players from around the world, including Cristiano Ronaldo,Gareth Bale, Xavi andDidier Drogba.[461] Under the slogan "Together, we can beat Ebola", FIFA's campaign was done in conjunction with theConfederation of African Football and health experts, with the players holding up eleven messages to raise awareness of the disease and ways to combat it.[461][462]
In collaboration withDAZN, in 2019 Neymar appeared inThe Making Of series, documentaries which relives the significant games that helped define football's greatest modern icons, with Neymar recounting his performance for Santos against Flamengo in 2011 when he scored that year'sFIFA Puskás Award for Goal of the Year,[463] and also the filmNeymar and the Line of King which covers Neymar's journey in becoming one of Brazil's top players.[464][465]
Neymar has become an icon in promoting Brazilian modern pop music, particularlyMúsica sertaneja. The video in which Neymar dances in theSantoslocker room dancing in front of teammates carrying his recorder making the round of the players and making them react to the tune ofMichel Teló's hit "Ai se eu te pego!" wentviral. He made a point of performing his dance antics to the song after scoring goals in football games and appeared live with Teló in one of the latter's concerts. He also supported sertanejo singerGusttavo Lima performing live with Lima on renditions of the singer's hits "Balada" and "Fazer Beber". In 2012, he made cameo appearances in themusic video for yet another sertanejo hit "Eu Quero Tchu, Eu Quero Tcha" byJoão Lucas & Marcelo. In 2013, Neymar appeared on a rap music video, "País do Futebol" byMC Guimê.[471]
^Although Barcelona did not classify Neymar's €222 million buyout clause as a transfer fee, it was functionally identical to a transfer fee, since it cancelled his then-current contract with Barcelona (as in a typical transfer). The payment, provided by an unknown source, made him the most expensive football player.[4][5]
^Neymar Sr.'s own words explaining the decision, as translated in the referred source: "We're from a humble family, and in a humble family there is always the question of cultural values," he said. "We thought he had to grow up in Brazil. That was the first serious choice we had to make."
^Guérin, Vincent (3 August 2017)."Pastore: 'A welcome gift'".PSG.fr. Paris Saint-Germain Football Club. Archived fromthe original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved14 September 2017.Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Javier Pastore has offered his No.10 jersey to the neo-Parisian Neymar Jr.
^"Neymar Jr will wear the No.10".PSG.fr. Paris Saint-Germain Football Club. 3 August 2017. Archived fromthe original on 14 September 2017. Retrieved14 September 2017.Paris Saint-Germain's new forward Neymar Jr will wear the No.10 jersey.
^abMassimo Tanzillo (15 January 2011)."NEYMAR: 1992 – BRASILE" (in Italian). Generazione Talenti.Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved15 June 2015.
1 AsHors concours 2Placar started to give this prize to the best grade holder atBola de Prata since 1973. In its 2013 ceremonies, a Bola de Ouro was given to Dirceu Lopes, holder of the best 1971 grade.Francisco Reyes andElías Figueroa, holders of 1970 and 1972 ones respectively, have not been announced as these years' winners yet.
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