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In football, there has only been a handful of child prodigies whose talents were recognized at a very young age and went on to absolutely dominate on the big stage.
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, more popularly known as Neymar, is among those who achieved this feat.
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior was born on February 5, 1992, in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil. His journey to footballing superstardom began not on the grand stadiums of Europe, but on the dusty pitches of Brazil. Born in Mogi das Cruzes, a working-class neighborhood near São Paulo, Neymar’s passion for football was ignited by his father, a former professional player.
The Brazilian’s early years were filled with a blend of street football and futsal, the fast-paced indoor version of the sport. Street football fostered his dazzling footwork and ability to navigate tight spaces, while futsal honed his close control and rapid decision-making. His raw talent was evident from a young age, catching the eye of local scouts.
As Neymar’s reputation continued to grow, European clubs began to take notice of the young Brazilian prodigy. Real Madrid, one of the most prestigious clubs in the world, expressed a keen interest in signing Neymar while he was still a teenager.
In 2006, at the age of 14, Neymar traveled to Spain for a trial with Real Madrid’s youth academy, La Fabrica. His performances during the trial impressed the club’s coaching staff, and a contract offer seemed imminent. However, complications arose during negotiations, reportedly due to financial disagreements and concerns over Neymar’s adaptation to life in Europe at such a young age.
Despite Real Madrid’s interest and the allure of playing for one of the world’s top clubs, Neymar ultimately decided to return to Brazil and continue his development with Santos FC.
Over the next few years, Neymar’s star continued to rise as he led Santos to multiple domestic titles, including the Copa Libertadores, South America’s most prestigious club competition, in 2011.
Neymar, just like the Brazil legend Pele, achieved worldwide recognition while plying his trade in his native Brazil and not on the European stage. A testament to this is that in 2012, the Brazilian was the cover athlete for the Pro Evolution Soccer video game.
In 2013, one of the most controversial transfers in the history of football occurred when Neymar decided to leave the familiar shores of Brazil to join Spanish giants, Barcelona.
A Brazilian investment firm, DIS, owned 40% of Neymar’s transfer rights from his early days at Santos. The official transfer fee announced by Barcelona was €57.1 million, with €40 million going to a company called N&N Consultoria Esportiva, run by Neymar’s father. However, investigations later revealed the actual transfer fee to be significantly higher, around €86.2 million, sparking allegations of financial irregularities and discrepancies.
DIS argued that the true transfer fee was much higher, possibly exceeding €80 million. They claimed Barcelona, Santos, Neymar, and his father conspired to conceal the actual value to minimize the amount owed to DIS.
These investigations eventually led to legal action against Neymar, his father, and the former presidents of both Barcelona and Santos. In 2022, a trial finally began in Spain to determine if fraud and corruption occurred during the transfer. Neymar, his father, and the former club presidents all deny wrongdoing.
The trial is ongoing, with a verdict yet to be reached.
All controversies aside, what Neymar achieved while at the Catalans was nothing short of phenomenal. He played alongside 8-time Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi and one of the most lethal strikers of this generation Luis Suarez.
Many believe that this attacking trio is the greatest the beautiful game has ever seen and for good reason. During their time together (2013/14 to 2016/17), the trio scored an astonishing 364 goals with Neymar bagging 105 goals. They also went on to win 8 trophies while playing together.
All good things must come to an end and it eventually did for MSN.
To some, they believed Neymar was suffering from success when he decided to leave Barcelona and join Paris Saint Germain for €222 million, a football transfer record. They felt the forward craved being the undisputed star player in his team. PSG offered a chance to be the centerpiece of their ambitious project.
The project however turned out to be a triple whammy as Neymar’s transfer didn’t work out for either him, PSG, or Barcelona. The French giants spent over €400 million in bringing Neymar and Mbappe. The main goal of this project was winning the Champions League, Europe’s top club competition.
This has so far not come to fruition
In the past seven years, PSG has only reached the Champions League final once and they lost to Bayern Munich. In this span of time, they also mostly got eliminated in the round of 16 (4 out of 7 times).
Many fans of PSG and football enthusiasts alike believe Neymar is largely to blame for this abysmal performance.
His time at PSG has been plagued by injuries. Missing crucial matches due to fitness issues limited the Brazilian’s impact, especially during important Champions League knockout stages. Some fans also felt Neymar’s lifestyle choices didn’t align with the dedication expected of a leader. This created a disconnect with a portion of the PSG fanbase. There have also been criticisms that Neymar’s style prioritizes individual brilliance over team play. This can disrupt the overall team’s flow and effectiveness.
Neymar has since left PSG and is now with the Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal after they triggered his release clause reportedly worth €90 million. The 32-year-old is yet to make a significant impact on the field for Al-Hilal as he tore his ACL while on international duty with Brazil back in October 2023.
He is expected to be out of action for 8-10 months.
Neymar’s legacy in football is indeed a complex one. To fully put it into context, one has to consider separately what he has achieved at both the national and club stage.
Neymar currently wears the iconic number 10 jersey for Brazil. In September 2023, he surpassed 3-time World Cup winner Pele as his nation’s top goal scorer. Individual accolades aside, the forward has inspired the Selecao to numerous trophies such as the FIFA Under 20 World Cup in 2011, the 2016 Olympic Gold Medal, the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013, and the Copa America in 2019.
What he has achieved with the Brazilian national team both on an individual and team level is nothing short of phenomenal.
Neymar’s stats at the club level are just as stellar as his records at the national level, however, it has been mired with numerous controversies such as diving and provoking opponents. None is probably more famous than his diving antics at the 2018 World Cup which even became a gimmick across the internet.
As a Brazilian, it is only natural that Neymar is familiar with almost every trick and flick involved in football. While some find it entertaining, others argue that it is unnecessary and disrupts the flow of the game.
Also, Neymar is one of those players who is famous for having a very short fuse. The forward is notorious for losing his cool during matches, arguing with referees, throwing childish tantrums, and even shoving opponents. To show how costly these antics can be, in April 2017 while at Barcelona, Neymar received a second yellow card for clapping at the referee in protest of a decision made during a 2-0 win over Malaga. The Catalans’ next match was against Real Madrid and had to make do without his services.
Barcelona still ended up defeating rivals Real Madrid courtesy of a brilliant stoppage-time goal from none other than Lionel Messi.
Neymar’s legacy in football will be a fascinating case of “what could have been” mixed with undeniable talent. His dazzling footwork, creativity, and goalscoring feats are evident for all to see. He was part of a historic attacking trio (MSN) at Barcelona and remains a prolific scorer for both club and country.
Statistically, he’ll be remembered as a great player, with a potential claim to Brazil’s all-time top-scorer title.
However, his legacy will be a double-edged sword. The brilliance on the pitch will be countered by the playacting, diving, and controversies that have become hallmarks of his game. These antics have frustrated fans and earned him a reputation for petulance. Questions will linger about whether his off-field theatrics overshadowed his true potential and ability to lead a team to the biggest trophies, like the Champions League or the World Cup with Brazil.
Ultimately, Neymar’s legacy will be a mixed bag: a supremely skilled player with a tarnished image, leaving fans to debate the heights he could have reached with a different approach.
