Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior (Brazilian Portuguese: [nejˈmaʁ dɐ ˈsiwvɐ ˈsɐ̃tus ˈʒũɲoʁ]; born 5 February 1992), known as Neymar, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germainand the Brazil national team. He is widely considered as one of the best players in the world.[7][8]
NeymarNeymar with Brazil at the 2018 FIFA World CupPersonal informationFull nameNeymar da Silva Santos Júnior[1]Date of birth5 February 1992 (age 28)[2]Place of birthMogi das Cruzes, Brazil [3]Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[4][5][6]Playing position(s)ForwardClub informationCurrent teamParis Saint-GermainNumber10Youth career1999–2003Portuguesa Santista2003–2009SantosSenior career*YearsTeamApps(Gls)2009–2013Santos177(107)2013–2017Barcelona123(68)2017–Paris Saint-Germain52(47)National team‡2009Brazil U173(1)2011Brazil U207(9)2012–2016Brazil U2314(8)2010–Brazil101(61)HonoursMen's FootballRepresenting BrazilFIFA Confederations CupWinner2013Summer Olympics2016Team2012TeamSouth American U-20 ChampionshipWinner2011* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 04:36, 24 February 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 23:59, 13 October 2019 (UTC)
Neymar came into prominence 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; the latter being Santos' first since 1963. Neymar was twice named the South American Footballer of the Year, in 2011 and 2012, and soon relocated to Europe to join Barcelona. As part of Barcelona'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, and finished third for the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2015 for his performances. He then attained a domestic double in the 2015–16 season. In 2017, Neymar transferred from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in a move worth €222 million, making him the most expensive player ever.[note 1] In France, Neymar won three league titles, two Coupe de France, and two Coupe de la Ligue, which included a domestic treble and being voted Ligue 1 Player of the Year, in his debut season.[11] Neymar then helped PSG attain a domestic quadruple in the 2019-20 season.
With 61 goals in 101 matches for Brazil since debuting at age 18, Neymar is the third highest goalscorer for his national team, trailing only Pelé and Ronaldo. He was a key player in Brazil's victories at the 2011 South American Youth Championship, where he finished as 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, before captaining Brazil to their first Olympic gold medal in men's football at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Two years later, Neymar featured at the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Off the pitch, Neymar ranks among the world's most prominent sportsmen; SportsPro named him the most marketable athlete in the world in 2012 and 2013, and ESPN cited him as the world's fourth-most famous athlete in 2016. In 2017, Neymar was included by Time in its list of the 100 most influential people in the world.[12]By 2018, France Football ranked Neymar the world's third highest-paid footballer, and in 2019, Forbes ranked him the world's third highest-paid athlete.[13]