EARLY LIFE
Neymar da Silva Santos Jr. was born on February 5, 1992, in Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil. His father, although a professional soccer player, never achieved star status and only played for a few years. When Neymar was young, his family moved back to their hometown of São Vicente, where he began following in his father's footsteps by playing street soccer and futsal, which is a smaller, indoor version of the game. As Neymar showcased his impressive skills, scouts took notice and came to watch him play. Eventually, the Santos Football Club (FC) signed him to their youth team. By the age of 14, Neymar received an invitation from Real Madrid, one of the most famous soccer clubs in the world, to join their youth team in Spain. Despite the exciting opportunity, Neymar and his family decided to remain in Brazil and continue his journey with Santos.
SANTOS
At Santos, Neymar quickly became a standout player, making a name for himself in the sport. He reached a significant milestone by scoring his 100th professional goal on his 20th birthday in 2012, the same year Santos clinched its third consecutive league title. His exceptional performance earned him the title of South America’s Player of the Year. However, not all moments were filled with joy; Neymar faced criticism when Brazil lost the gold medal match at the 2012 Summer Olympics to Mexico. Over the course of four and a half seasons with Santos, he won numerous championships and accolades, which caught the attention of several major European teams eager to recruit him. Neymar had always dreamed of playing in Europe.
BARCELONA
In 2013, after turning 21, Neymar made the significant decision to transfer to Barcelona. Although he was thrilled to join the world-renowned club, he felt a sense of sadness about leaving his family behind. Barcelona paid Santos over $118 million for Neymar's contract, and he signed a five-year deal, earning $15 million annually. Joining a team that boasted many star players, including the legendary Lionel Messi, Neymar faced doubts about whether he was physically suited for the challenges of the Spanish league. Despite this, he scored 14 goals in his first season and worked hard to build strength by lifting weights, leading to an impressive 39 goals in his second season. Under his contributions, Barcelona not only won the Spanish league championship but also secured their first Champions League title in four years. In August 2017, Neymar began a new chapter in his career by joining Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), but a broken foot cut his season short. He has a contract with PSG that lasts until 2022.
FAMILY
Neymar shares a son named Davi Lucca with his former girlfriend, Carolina Dantas, who was born in August 2011.