In the long history of Brazilian soccer, Neymar was one of the game’s most prolific goal scorers. Neymar da Silva Santos, Jr. is his given name. When Neymar was a little boy in So Vicente, his father, a former professional footballer who remained a close advisor and mentor throughout his son’s career, taught him how to play the game. Neymar participated in both indoor and outdoor five-a-side football before joining the Portuguesa Santista youth program in So Vicente. In 2003, he moved to Santos with his family. Neymar joined the Santos FC youth program after already establishing himself as a star athlete (the same team that Pelé played for the majority of his domestic career). He had a successful trial with Real Madrid when he was 14 years old, and Santos had to raise its spending to keep him.
The forward had an athletic physique, was 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 meters) tall, possessed excellent body control, quick reflexes, and an explosive pace. He made his professional debut in 2009 with Santos. While a member of Santos, he averaged one goal per game and helped the team win the Libertadores Cup, South America’s top club competition, in 2011. While playing for Santos, Neymar won various awards, including the 2011 and 2012 South American Footballer of the Year title. After leaving Santos for a record-breaking €57 million (about $80 million), Neymar signed a five-year deal with FC Barcelona in June 2013.In 2016, an appeal was turned down, and a Brazilian court found Neymar guilty of fabricating documents to avoid paying taxes on earnings between 2011 and 2013. The player and his father were both called into a Spanish court after an investment group that had supported him claimed it had been misled during his 2013 transfer to Barcelona.
Neymar’s disputed trip is noteworthy as well.
View this post on Instagram
