11:40
Neymar da Silva
Neymar da Silva
Neymar da Silva Santos
Júnior was; born 5 February 1992), commonly known as Neymar or Neymar Jr., is a
Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for French club Paris
Saint-Germain and the Brazil national team.
Neymar came into
prominence at an early age at Santos, where he made his professional debut aged
17. He helped the club win two successive Campeonato Paulista championships, a
Copa do Brasil, and the 2011 Copa Libertadores, Santos' first continental title
since 1963. Neymar was twice named the South American Footballer of the Year,
in 2011 and 2012, before relocating to Europe to join Barcelona. As part of
Barça's attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez, he won the
continental treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the UEFA Champions League
in the 2014–15 season, followed the next year by the domestic double. He came
third for the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2015. In August 2017, Neymar moved from
Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in a transaction worth €222 million, making
him the world's most expensive player.[note 1]
With 53 goals in 83 matches
for Brazil since debuting at age 18, Neymar is the fourth-highest goalscorer
for his national team. He was a key player in Brazil's victories at the 2011
South American Youth Championship, which he finished as the leading goalscorer,
and the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, where he won the Golden Ball as player of
the tournament. His participation in the 2014 FIFA World Cup and 2015 Copa
América was cut short by injury and a suspension respectively, but the next
year he captained Brazil to their first Olympic gold medal in men's football at
the 2016 Summer Olympics.
Known for his
dribbling, finishing, and ability with both feet, Neymar has earned comparisons
to former Brazil and Santos forward Pelé. Off the pitch, he ranks among the
world's most prominent sportsmen; SportsPro named him the most marketable
athlete in the world in 2012 and 2013, and ESPNcited him as the world's
fourth-most famous athlete in 2016.