Neymar Junior

Neymar Junior is Brazilian a professional football player, who’s widely considered as one of the greatest players around the world and amongst the best Brazilian football athletes in its history.

He rose to prominence after making his professional debut at Santos FC by 17, before emerging as the league star player of his country shortly after and winning the 2011 Copa Libertadores.

Career

Born into a father who also plays football, Neymar Junior combines his passion for soccer with schooling.

Though growing up in poverty, his father could recognize his incredible talent and decided to help his son pursue his dreams.

At the age of six, Neymar Junior began to play futsal which helped him develop his ability to perform his moves in tight spaces and his agility.

To give him more opportunities for competitive futsal, his family moved 100 km away from Mogi to São Vicente. In southern São Paulo, they found a competitive Futsal team called Portuguesa Santista.

He took a trial and when passed, he was inducted into their Futsal youth ranks. In there, he used his trick and feint to beat players who were bigger and older than him.

Five years after joining Portuguesa Santista, he got called from the biggest club in Brazil, Santos FC. With his signing with Santos FC, it helped the family out of poverty so they could afford a house close to Santos FC stadium.

With his popular skill, European scouts began trying to sign him and in 2006, when he was 14, he got an invitation for a Madrid Academy trials. But the negotiation with Real Madrid failed and he continued with Santos Academy.

He made his first professional senior debut at age 17 in 2009 with Santos FC. In 2009, he also voted as Best Young Player of the 2009 Campeonato Paulista.

In 2013, he transferred from Santos FC to Barcelona and made his debut in 2013 – 2014 La Liga against Levante and helped Barcelona win 7-0.

In 2017, he moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint Germain with the transfer worth €222 million.

His remarkable skill makes him get called on to represent Brazil at Under-17. He also represented Brazil in the 2014 FIFA World Cup but at that time he got injury and Brazil should lose 7-1 to Germany.

Read also: Vinicius Junior – Biography, Age, Trivia, Family & Life Story

Profile

• Real Name: Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
• Stage Name: Neymar Jr., Neymar Junior
• Also Known As: –
• Nickname: Juninho, Neymaravilha
• Birthday: February 5, 1992
• Birthplace: Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Zodiac Sign: Aquarius
• Nationality: Brazilian
• Religion: Christian
• Profession: Professional Football Player
• Education: –
• Hobbies: Dancing, Playing Video Games, Playing Poker, Wakeboarding
• Position: Striker – Left Wing
• Club:
  Al Hilal (2023–)
  Paris Saint Germain (2017–2023);
  Barcelona (2013–2017);
  Santos (2009–2013)
• Facebook: Neymar Jr
• Twitter: @neymarjr
• Instagram: @neymarjr
• TikTok: –
• YouTube: Neymar Jr

Height, Weight, Physical Appearance

• Height: 175 cm (5’9”)
• Weight: 70 kg (154 lbs)
• Blood Type: –
• Hair Color: Black
• Eye Color: Brown
• Body Measurements: 40-32-12 (Bust -40, Waist -32, and Arms -12 in inches)
• Shoe Size: 8.5 (US)

Family

• Father: Neymar Santos Sr.
• Mother: Nadine da Silva
• Brother: –
• Sister: Rafaella Beckran
• Children: Davi Lucca

Girlfriend & Dating History

Carolina Dantas 

Carolina Dantas was allegedly Neymar’s first girlfriend. They dated between 2010 to 2011. From the relationship and had a son called Davi Lucca.

Unfortunately, the couple separated in 2011 for unknown reasons. They shared custody of their child and keep being friends with each other.

Barbara Evans

Brazilian model Barbara Evans and Neymar dated after Neymar broke up with Carolina Dantas in 2011.

They dated for a short period of time before chose to part ways for unknown reasons.

Carol Belli

Neymar and Carol Belli, who’s a Brazilian model, dated in 2012.

Unfortunately, they split in the same year. The separation was said to happen because unlike Neymar, Carol wants to take it to a serious level.

Bruna Marquezine

Neymar and Brazilian actress Bruna Marquezine first met at a carnival in Brazil. They fall in love at first sight and have an on and off relationship.

They began their relationship in 2013 and broke up at the same year, only to be back together in 2014. They got back together for a few years until 2018 when they split because of a long distance issue.

Sara Vulcelic

Serbian model Sara Vulcelic first got in touch with Neymar through the internet in 2013. After the communication, she went to Barcelona to see Neymar in person.

Vulcelic’s photo on her social media attracts people as she waas in a jet flying toward Spain wearing a Barcelona shirt with Neymar’s name and number on it.

Apparently, they spent time together for a short period of time just like Neymar did with other women.

Anitta 

In 2014, Brazilian singer Anitta and Neymar had a brief relationship. They met at one of Neymar’s parties. After the first met, they were spotted getting intimate and kissing each other.

Though they were spotted getting close, Anitta denied that they had a romantic relationship and stated that they were just close friends.

Chloë Grace Moretz

Neymar and American actress Chloe Grace Moretz were rumored to be dating back in 2014. They were spotted being together during the 2014 World Cup.

It was not confirmed whether they were dating or just had a platonic relationship as Moretz dated Brooklyn Beckham in 2014.

Thaila Ayala

In the same year, Neymar also had a fling with Brazilian model and actress Thalia Ayala. They were spotted spending a holiday in Ibiza a couple of times.

They also shared some romantic photos on their Instagram. However, the fling isn’t meant to be turned into a relationship as Neymar was also seeing other women at that time.

Elizabeth Martinez

Neymar and Spanish lawyer, Elizabeth Martinez had a short relationship in 2016. They were spotted together in Barcelona and spent time together in clubs and restaurants.

Bruna Biancardi

Brazilian model Bruna Biancardi began dating Neymar in 2021. They didn’t confirm their relationship until early 2022.

In January 2022, they also announced their engagement on Instagram. However, their relationship also isn’t meant to last long as they called it quit in August.

Net Worth 

Neymar’s net worth is around $200 million to $220 million.

His wealth came primarily from his salary as a football player as he was listed as fourth highest paid athlete in 2020 by Forbes. He is also making money from endorsements with several brands.

Salaries

Barcelona

Neymar makes his transfer to Barcelona in 2013. In the 2016/17 season, his salary in Barcelona was £495,000 per week and he could making around £25,740,000 yearly.

Paris Saint-Germain

After his contract expired with Barcelona, he transferred to PSG for a five year contract. He got paid per week £606,000 per week and earned around £31,512,000 per year.

Al Hilal

Neymar officially transferred to Al Hilal on August 2023, where he signed a two-year contract that reportedly worth €90 million.

According to media reports, he earns around $400 million of annual salary from the Saudi Pro League club.

Brands Endorsements

Neymar also became the world’s most branded football player as he with deals with more than 35 brands like Nike, Beats, Puma, Red Bull, including Qatar National Bank.

Apparently, he could earn around $25 million from his endorsements with Red Bull and Puma only.

Charity

Neymar is doing charity through charitable organization and founded Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr which focused on less fortunate people, less educated, drug and crime affected families in Praia Grande.

Real Estate

One of the ways Neymar spent his wealth was to buy a mansion. He reported buying a mansion in Brazil in 2021.

The mansion that was worth $3.25 million has seven bedrooms, a large swimming pool, a cocktail bar, and a 20 car garage.

He also owns a six bedroom mansion in Rio de Janeiro which also has a massaga room, a spa, a sauna, and a heated jacuzzi.

A 2012 Forbes report stated that Neymar had bought a $750,000 triplex and a $2 million mansion in the state of Sao Paulo.

Cars Collection

Neymar is also known for his love of luxury cars. He owns Ferrari 458 Italia worth $200,000. He also owns Maserati MC12 that was worth $750,000.

He owns three Audis which is Audi Q7, Audi RS7, and Audi R8. He has been spotted driving his RS7 Audi to the training ground.

Controversies

Accused of Committing Rape

In 2019, Najila Trindade, who’s a Brazilian model, made a headline-breaking accusation that Neymar had attacked in a Paris hotel.

He refuted the accusations. An investigation for the case was started in May.

In June 2019, he shared a 7-minute video on his Instagram page, opened up about the accusations as well as provided evidences of Whatsapp chats and images that were allegedly sent by the model to “prove that nothing really happened”.

In July 2019, police that investigated the case stated that they had closed the case, for lack of evidence.

Facts

• When he was four months old, his family got into a car accident. Fortunately, he didn’t get a serious injury from the accident, but his dad got his hip bone dislocated and it cost him his career at football.
• After his father retired from football, the family struggled financially, couldn’t even afford to pay electric bills and in the end moved to his grandparent’s house.
• Back when he was a kid, if he wasn’t seen with a ball, he would be spotted playing video games.
• His transfer from Santos FC to Barcelona worth €222 million made him the highest paid soccer player.
• When Neymar Junior was 18, he dated Carolina Dantas and she got pregnant. His son born on August 2011 named Davi Lucca da Silva Santos. But they broke up not long after his son was born and he kept a good relationship with his son and the mom.
• In 2011, he dated Barbara Evans, but the relationship also didn’t last long.
• In the same year, he started dating Brazilian model and dancer, Carol Abranches and as they promised to have an open relationship, he didn’t feel right about it and they also broke up.
• From 2013 to 2018 he dated Bruna Marquezine and they have a long distance relationship and the relationship seems on and off.
• While dating Bruna Marquezine, he also dated several women like Patricia Jordane, Laryssa Olivera, Thaila Ayala and the relationship doesn’t last long.
• In 2020, he spotted dating Cuban model, Natalia Barulich.
• In 2022, he dated Bruna Biancardi and the two have been sharing their photos together on their social media.
• He is known for his flashy life and collected several top brand cars.
• He has a yacht which he bought in 2012. The yacht named Nadine in honor of his mother.
• Aside from the yacht, he also has a helicopter which he bought for $15 million and manufactured by Mercedes Benz.
• His love for GaGà Milano watches also showed as he spent $180,000 on watches at the GaGà Milano Boutique in Tokyo.
• When he debut with Barcelona, he suffered anemia, an iron deficiency in the blood.
• He used to wear a headband with the words 100% Jesus proven that he had always been religious.
• When he was in Santos in 2010, he got caught in controversy for insulting his coach because he didn’t get to take penalty kick which resulted in him getting banned for a match and his coach getting fired.
• Brazilian courts frozen his assets worth $50 in 2015 because of his unpaid taxes from 2011 to 2013.
• He had a heated argument with teammate Nelson Semedo during a training session in 2017 ahead of Barcelona’s clash with Real Madrid.
• In 2020, Nike terminated their contract with Neymar after he allegedly doing sexual assault to Nike employee and refused to cooperate with the investigation.
• Though he never disclosed what his ideal type of girlfriend was, but throughout the years he’s been dating supermodels and playmates, and it seems he’s attracted to women who’s working in the entertainment industry.

Read also: Karim Benzema – Biography, Age, Trivia, Family & Life Story

Quotes

“I try to be myself without being anything different.”

“I never like to say that I’m better than anybody else.”

“It is easier when you like to work with your companions.”

“The moment I am off the field, it’s my personal time.”

“I never like to say that I’m better than anybody else.”

“I don’t mind being the one people talk about. It doesn’t weigh on me.”

“You need a lot of comfort and nothing to be on your weight to play as you wish.”

“What I think about is my happiness, together with my family. I want us to be happy.”

“Before speaking without knowledge, saying lies, you have to present evidence.”

“The first game is always the most difficult, for the nerves you have before you begin to play.”

“I’m only one Neymar – for my family, for the public. I’m always the same person.”

“Everything in my life has happened very early, personally and professionally.”

“Before speaking without knowledge, saying lies, you have to present evidence.”

“I’m not scared. I always go forward, trying to create space and make my way toward the goal.”

“I want to trace my own path by doing the things I have been doing, winning titles, reaching goals.”

“I just want to be better every day, to get better every day, not to be better than anyone else.”

“When we lose, we don’t have to change everything but correct things by working hard”

“Our objective is always to win. Every day, every game, and every competition.”

“When you see a person you love being affected, suffering, people saying things that aren’t true… then it hurts you.”

“My opinion is that protesting, there’s no problem with it, as long as it is peaceful without violence, without vandalism.”

“I do not play football to win the Ballon d’Or. I play football to be happy, because I love it and want to play football.”

“Imagine you’re 24 years old, earning what I earn and having all that I have. Wouldn’t you be the same as me?”

“I play to be happy in the first place and then to help my colleagues and my team the best way I can, with the best football.”

“I know that it is a huge responsibility to be the captain, the No. 10, but I like it. I like the responsibility, the pressure, and I like playing football.”

“When you see a person you love being affected, suffering, people saying things that aren’t true… then it hurts you.”

“I’ve always had the greatest respect for and listened to both my father and my mother. I’ve always tried to follow my parents’ advice because these are people who want the best for me.”

“I’ve always said I learned to defend myself from an opponent coming for a hard hit. Tricks are part of my repertoire; I use them to try to get past my opponents, but the objective is always to score goals.”

“I’m a happy guy. I like to joke around. I’m irreverent. I love my family; I love my son. I was very happy with and proud of the birth of my son. I grew up a lot after he was born. I’m just an easy and happy guy.”

“My father always told me I like the ball more than I like playing soccer: since I was a young kid, I was always skilled with it, dribbling furniture around the house. That’s how I see football – fun and dynamic – and this goes beyond me; it’s a characteristic of Brazilian football.”

FAQs

Who is Neymar Junior?

He is a Brazilian professional football player.

Who is Neymar Junior’s real name?

His real name is Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior.

What makes Neymar Junior famous?

He’s famous after making his professional debut at Santos FC by 17, before emerging as the league star player of his country shortly after and winning the 2011 Copa Libertadores.

Where is Neymar Junior from?

He was born in Mogi das Cruzes, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

How old is Neymar Junior?

He was born in 1992, and he is 31 years old as of 2023.

When Neymar Junior celebrates his birthday?

He celebrates on the 5th of every February.

How tall is Neymar Junior?

His height is 5’9″ or 175 cm.

Who are Neymar Junior’s parents?

His father’s name is Neymar Santos Sr. and his mother’s name is Nadine da Silva.

Is Neymar Junior married?

He is not married. Furthermore, there is no information on whether he is in a relationship or not.

Who is Neymar Junior’s ex-girlfriend?

His ex-girlfriends are Carolina Dantas, Barbara Evans, Carol Belli, Bruna Marquezine, Sara Vulcelic, Thalia Ayala, Elizabeth Martinez, and Bruna Biancardi.Furthermore, he also used to be rumored to date Anitta, Chloe Grace Moretz,

How rich is Neymar Junior?

His net worth is around $200 million to $220 million.

What is Neymar Junior nationality?

His nationality is Brazilian.

On the field, Neymar Junior is a football legend who is adored by many of his fans. When he is not on the football field, he is a man who loves luxury things such as watches and someone who loves his family.