Top 10 Facts about Brazilian Soccer Star Neymar


 

If you are a footy fan in today’s world, you have a high likelihood of hearing the name ‘Neymar’ floating around. With an astronomical rise to fame, Neymar is a Brazilian soccer player who still has many more years of his career ahead of him.

10. Neymar scored his 100th professional goal on his 20th birthday

Neymar playing for Santos against Barcelona – By By Christopher Johnson from Tokyo, Japan – Neymar Junior the Future of Brazil, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18875396

Think that you have accomplished a lot before you hit your 20s? Well, Neymar scored his 100th professional goal on February 5h, 2012 – the day of his 20th birthday. Many soccer payers aim to score 100 goals throughout their entire career. Neymar set the standard high for youngsters of the time period, reaching this incredible stat during his playing career at Santos.

9. He only played for Santos before moving to Barcelona

Neymar playing for Barcelona against Villareal in La Liga – By By Alex Fau – Neymar, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45340535

Barca is a powerhouse amongst European football clubs, with the likes of Messi, Busquets, Ronaldhino, and many others wearing the highly-lauded red, blue, and yellow during their career. Neymar joined the list of prolific footballers to call Barcelona home, signing for the club in 2013 after 4 years at Santos.

8. He is the second-highest goalscorer for his national team

Neymar – By By Кирилл Венедиктов – soccer.ru, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=99436041

A Brazilian born in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil, Neymar has been on the Brazilian U17, U20, U23, and senior national team. He has been on the senior-level team since 2010 – joining the ranks when he was just 18 years old. He has scored 64 goals in 103 matches, making in the second-highest goalscorer behind the infamous Pele. 

7. He has been considered one of the world’s most prominent sportsmen

Neymar during his unveiling at Barcelona in June 2013 – By By Danilo Borges/copa2014.gov.br Licença Creative Commons Atribuição 3.0 Brasil – http://www.copa2014.gov.br/en/noticia/big-day-upon-us-tthe-world-cup-starts-wednesday-brazil-and-croatia, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=26490210

Off the field, Neymar is often regarded as one of the most famous athletes in the world, similar to Messi and Ronaldo in terms of stardom and impact. SportsPro named him the most remarkable athlete in 2013 and 2013, ESPN cited him as the fourth-most-famous athlete in 2016, and Time included him in the 100 most influential people in the world in 2017. 

6. Neymar won the Puskas Award in 2011

 

The Puskas Award is a FIFA award given to the most aesthetically pleasing goal in the entire world for male or female soccer players. Neymar scored a brilliant solo goal in the Serie A game against Flamengo, winning the prestigious honor by miraculously beating 4 defenders in the 25th minute of the game. 

5. He won South America’s best player before moving to Barca

Neymar playing for PSG against Lille in February of 2018 – By By Liondartois – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=66147366

Due to his prolific career at Santos, which saw him scoring 107 goals in 177 appearances, Neymar earned the 2012 South American footballer of the Year, joining the ranks of Ronaldinho, arguably the most famous Brazilian soccer player to exist. 

Neymar was also voted the Best Player of the 2012 Recopa Sudamericana, finishing the 2012 season with 14 goals, winning the Golden Ball, Armando Nogueira Trophy, and other accolades with this best player win.

4.  He moved to PSG for the most expensive transfer EVER

Neymar performing a keepie-uppie during his Paris Saint-Germain unveiling – By By Antoine Dellenbach from Paris, France – Neymar Jr Presentation | Press Conference for PSG (04/08/2017), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63423050

Paris Saint-Germain, commonly known as PSG, is a football powerhouse in France. Not only a prominent club in the domestic league, PSG often is considered one of the best teams in the entire world, winning global titles in recent years.

Neymar was bought for 222 million euros in August of 2017, making him the most expensive transfer ever in football. He joined PSG until his contract runs out in 2022. 

3. He tested positive for COVID-19

Neymar taking a penalty against Lille during a Ligue 1 match in 2020 – By By Liondartois – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=86554989

Neymar tested positive for COVID-19, causing him to miss the first match of the 2020-2021 season. Fortunately, he returned to training before PSG’s rival match against Olympiques de Marseille in mid-September of 2020.

2. He scored his first international hat trick in 2012

Neymar preparing to take a free-kick against Belarus at Old Trafford during the 2012 Summer Olympics – By By daniel.richardson0685 – Flickr: 2012 Olympic Football – Neymar about to strike, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22448901

On September 10th of 2012, Neymar scored his full international hattrick in an 8-0 win over China. Although he had scored many goals up until that point, scoring an international hat trick is a powerful feat only bested by select players in soccer history. 

1. Neymar has a son

Neymar expresses his Christian faith – By By Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil – http://agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br/rio-2016/foto/2016-08/brasil-conquista-primeiro-ouro-olimpico-nos-penaltisThis file has been extracted from another file: Brasil conquista primeiro ouro olímpico nos penaltis 1039248-20082016- mg 0015.jpg, CC BY 3.0 br, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=50842565

Neymar became a father at 19-years-old, keeping the identity of the mother a secret at the time to protect their private life and the privacy of their child. His son, Davi Lucca, was born in August of 2011. Later on, Neymar announced the child’s mother was Carolina Dantas, his ex-girlfriend. 

Every celebrity and athlete has a private life and unknown tidbits about their career that may not be widely known to the general public. As you can see, Neymar is easily one of the most influential and prolific soccer players of his generation – and of generations passed. 

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