Neymar da Silva Santos Junior is a young talent from Brazil. Neymar is a footballer with outstanding skills, field vision, amazing speed and dribbling ability that is the envy of many forwards. Since 2013, he has been playing for the Spanish Barcelona, where he is a key offensive player. Santos, where Neymar had previously played, received about 57 million euros for the transfer. The Brazilian recently extended his contract with the Catalan team until 2021.
Biography
On February 5, 1992, Neymar was born in the state of Sao Paulo. The footballer was born into a family of jewelry merchants. A little later, a daughter, Rafaela, appeared in the family, and Neymar loved his younger sister very much. From an early age he began to become interested in the most popular game on the planet - football. Santos, where Neymar played from the age of 7, was a Brazilian giant and produced many stars. It was a long way from his debut in the main team, but leading European clubs already in those years began to be interested in the promising striker. Barcelona, Real Madrid and Manchester City were the main partners of Santos, where Neymar played and progressed quickly.
In the local youth championship, the player shot right away. Fans began to call him “the new Robinho” for his amazing dribbling and ability to beat his opponent. It is not surprising that at the age of 14 he left home and moved to Madrid, where he continued his studies at the Real Madrid school. However, a year later the media reported that the talent had returned to his homeland. The reason was homesickness. According to some newspapers, the striker was ready to stay at the club if the management paid his father 60 thousand dollars. Money was needed to build a new floor of the house so that grandparents could live there. Real Madrid refused, which they undoubtedly regretted later. The Royal Club, where Neymar played for only a year, will still meet with the star, only this time as part of their main opponent.
Neymar's personal life. Girls and Neymar's son
Neymar is a religious man, like most Brazilians. Attends church every week.
At the age of 19, the football player's 17-year-old girlfriend Carolina became pregnant
.
The couple had a son, Davil Luka
. The relationship between the young people quickly fell apart.
Neymar and Carolina, when they were dating:
Neymar with his son and his mother celebrating his son's birthday:
Neymar's son with his mother:
The athlete dated actress Bruna Marchesini
, but when I left Brazil, the relationship went wrong due to the distance.
At the moment, the media are discussing the Barcelona player's romance with model Gabriella Lenzi
, although there is no confirmation of their relationship yet.
Neymar is only 24 years old, but he already has a son and fame as a talented football player. The guy is a very religious person and has repeatedly stated in his interviews that he is grateful to God for this gift from heaven. But who is the mother of this little miracle and why do the young people live separately?
How old is Neymar's son, David Luka da Silva Santos?
Today the baby is less than five years old. He was born on August 24, 2011 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. At that time, the football player was 19 years old, and his chosen one was only 17.
Neymar with his wife and son
As soon as information about such early paternity leaked to the press, the guy flatly refused to reveal the identity of his young mother to the public. True, over time it became known that Carolina Dantas, a beautiful blonde with blue eyes, gave birth to Neymar’s first child.
She met Neymar in 2009, and a year later the couple began dating. Today the girl is studying to become a doctor and designer. At the same time, she works part-time as a model and plans to release her own clothing line in the near future.
Returning to the topic of Neymar's first child, it is worth noting that as soon as the world learned that the football player had a child, he was with Carolina. But they did not have the status of husband and wife for long: at the end of 2011, the couple separated. Today, David Luca lives with his mother in Rio de Janeiro.
The guy visits his beloved son as soon as he has the opportunity. And if any of the fans hopes that the young people will resume their relationship, then they will have to be disappointed - Neymar has a new passion. He is together with Caroline and David only if the baby has a birthday.
"Santos"
In 2008, Neymar signed his first professional contract with the club where he learned to play. The conditions stipulated a huge amount of compensation, and the contract was calculated until 2013. The increased cost has scared off many clubs, but not all. Manchester United and Real Madrid continued to fight for the player. Neymar made his debut in Santos in March 2009, coming on as a substitute. A few days later he scored his first goal. In the same month, it became known that the capital’s CSKA was interested in the striker, and later Milan also joined the race.
Neymar - about life in Brazil, Santos and family
“THE CONTRACT WITH SANTOS IS VALID UNTIL 2014. I INTEND TO WORK IT TO THE END"
— Literally every day one of the formerly famous Brazilian or European players speaks out about your future: will you go to Europe or stay to play in your homeland. This is what Ronaldo and Deco did... Do such conversations somehow influence your own point of view? — I always discuss my decisions with my family. Of course, I pay attention to the advice that many give through the press, but the final decision is always mine, my family’s. It's an amazing feeling when truly great football people start talking about me, my game and my life. For this I am very grateful to them.
— Usually, talented football players very soon leave their native Brazil and move to top clubs. But you don't leave Santos. Do you feel that by staying in your home country, you are missing out on new opportunities in your career?
- No, I don’t think so. I just love it here in Brazil. It's all I need. In my opinion, the time has not yet come to leave Santos. I am very happy to play in this club, to live in this country, where all my friends and family are nearby.
— When will the moment come when you decide to move from Brazil?
— Firstly, I signed a contract with the club until 2014, and I intend to work it out. My heart will tell me whether I need to move to another club or not. I’ll try to explain with an example: imagine that you are buying ice cream. Sometimes you choose chocolate filling, and sometimes you choose vanilla. So at the moment I choose “Santos”.
— Don’t you think that with this choice you are slowing down your professional development as a player? In general, does moving to Europe, in your opinion, contribute to the development of football qualities or, rather, vice versa?
— Probably, it is still impossible to answer this question unambiguously. The development of each football player is a purely individual process. Some people progress under certain conditions, while others do the opposite. Personally, I don't regret playing in Brazil at all. Like I said, I really like it here.
— Recently, a curious trend has emerged in European football: Brazilian stars, who became famous in the top clubs of the Old World, began to return to their homeland. Pato, Ronaldinho, Ze Roberto, Juninho Pernambucano and many others. It is clear that they did not move to Santos, but still, does the presence of such players somehow affect the level of the entire championship?
— Of course, the level of the Brazilian league increases significantly due to the fact that real stars play here. Ze Roberto, Ronaldinho and many others who are now playing in their homeland increase interest in individual matches and strengthen the championship.
— You said that the championship is getting stronger. Is footballer Neymar getting stronger?
- Certainly! Moreover, it is not so important whether you play with a real star on the same team or not. When a strong player plays against you on the field, you develop your own qualities. This applies not only to me, but to any football player.
— That is, when you come across, say, an experienced Ze Roberto on the field, you understand that you will have to spend a little more effort in order to beat him?
- Depends on the situation. I think it’s not entirely correct to say that if someone more experienced plays against you, then this is a big advantage for him. Although, probably, when you have several years of high-level performances under your belt, your task becomes a little easier - you understand how to profitably use every centimeter of the field.
“HOW TO CANDLE FAN PRESSURE? YOU JUST NEED TO BE SIMPLE AND HAVE FUN FROM FOOTBALL"
— Brazil lives in anticipation of the upcoming World Cup. I will say without too much modesty: the World Cup for the Brazilian national team promises to take place under your sign. Does this mean that your preparation for such a grand event will take place in a special way? - No, what are you talking about? I don't think that far ahead. As a rule, I always focus only on the next match.
“But the whole country expects something supernatural from you.” Can you feel it?
- It seems to me that this does not concern me alone. It so happened historically that our team is obliged to fight for victory in any tournament. And here is the World Cup, which will also be held in Brazil! Of course, the burden of responsibility is very heavy, but we must cope with it.
— To be honest, many people simply cannot imagine how you can withstand the pressure that is put on you in absolutely every match.
“I also don’t know how you deal with such problems.” As for me, I just need to take things easier! There really is pressure. But damn, I love my job! I love what I do in life, so when I go out on the field, I only focus on doing my job to the best of my ability and having as much fun and enjoyment as I can while doing it.
— Let's return to questions about progress. Can you identify the main things that you did not own, say, two years ago?
- Complex issue. If we compare the current state with the one I had during the first match in my career, I probably have a great increase in confidence in my own abilities. Of course, this is far from the only thing that has come over the years. I don’t even know... it’s very difficult to explain in words.
— Many veterans say: after many years spent in football, they notice things that they had not seen before. And what do you think?
- What a veteran I am - I’m only 20 years old! Seriously though, I completely agree. Even now I can say that with experience my understanding of football expands.
— Many people believe that if the economic situation in the country now was like, for example, 15 years ago, you would go to play in Europe without hesitation.
- This is wrong. Understand, I'm not here for the money. I'm here because I really want to. I am happy in Brazil: my son, my family, my friends are nearby. 15 years ago I would have made exactly the same decision.
“ANDERSON SILVA, GUSTAV KUERTEN, AYRTON SENNA, PELE – IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO ADMIRE THESE PEOPLE”
— They constantly talk about you as a real star, a famous person, one of the most talented football players. Tell us what you are like in life. “I’m a very happy person who just tries to enjoy life.” I love my family, my son very much... After the birth of the child, it was as if I had grown up myself! And of course, I love my job.
— Many in Brazil are proud that the country has a football player, Neymar. Tell me, what makes you proud?
- Oh, there are too many such things!
The main thing is national football! I have always been amazed by many cities in our country. In general, there is something to be really proud of in Brazil!
— Does it matter to you that, regardless of national football, Brazil today has a certain economic power in the world?
- Undoubtedly! I think this is very important not only for me, but for all residents of our country. I think this is another thing to be proud of.
— 20 years ago, football players were considered the main export in Brazil. Now it is a fuel raw material. Do you generally follow economic news or do you only have time for football news?
— No, I try to pay attention not only to the sports environment. Believe me, I read different news. It’s just that football is my profession, so I devote much more time to it than to everything else.
- Let's abstract ourselves from football. Tell me, who do you consider a real hero in your life? Just don’t name your father ( Neymar’s dad was in the room at that moment).
-What about mom?
(laughs)
- No, let's exclude family members altogether. Name one of the other Brazilians.
— Do you have to come from football or in general?
- Let's exclude football players as well.
- Well, good. But I will still name the athletes. Anderson Silva, Gustavo Kuerten, Ayrton Senna and Pele. I am sure these are real idols in our country.
— In Brazil or even all over the world, are there such footballers whose performances you follow and perhaps even learn something from?
— In Brazil it’s Ronaldinho. In Europe - Messi, Kaká, Oscar... I really watch with interest the play of these people.
— You have played against Messi more than once both at the club level and during international competitions among national teams...
- I admire Messi! This is a real football idol! But when I go out to play against him on the field, such a mood is out of the question - all the compliments fade into the background, because I need to do my job and try to neutralize the opponent.
- But did you learn something from Lionel?
- Messi is Messi! He is the only one in the whole world! Sometimes I am shocked by how quickly and accurately Lionel makes decisions on the field. He single-handedly can change the course of any match.
- For a person who at such an early age has a lot of money and a huge number of fans, you are very well brought up. To be honest, it's usually the other way around. And your many colleagues are an example of this...
- Oh, you're wrong!
Do you know how many times I let my father down! (laughs)
Seriously, all people were raised differently. As for me, I always listen to the advice and opinion of my parents. I have always respected my mom and dad very much and will continue to respect them.
Transfer to Barcelona
On May 26, 2013, Neymar took to the field for the last time wearing a Santos jersey. On the same day, the website of the Catalan club announced the signing of a new forward from Brazil. The terms of the transfer were not disclosed, but one of the newspapers claimed that Barcelona paid around 50 million euros for the transfer; the player’s salary in the new club was supposed to be 7 million euros.
On June 5, the player’s presentation was held at the team’s stadium, which was attended by more than 50 thousand spectators. It was officially announced that 57 million euros were paid for the player, and the compensation amount was 190 million. Neymar took second place in the list of Barcelona's most expensive purchases, behind only Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
2013/2014
The newcomer’s debut took place on June 30 in a friendly match against Lechia from Poland. He played his first official match on September 18, coming on as a substitute in the game against Levante. Already in the match for the Spanish Super Cup against Atlético Madrid he scored his debut goal. In his first season for the Catalan team, he managed to score 15 times and provide 10 assists. I remember his hat-trick against Celtic, which he managed to complete in 14 minutes.
2014/2015
The forward started the new season very brightly, scoring almost every time he appeared on the field. On May 17, 2020, Barcelona celebrated their victory in the Spanish Championship by beating Atlético Madrid. Neymar became the third top scorer in the tournament, scoring 22 times. Two weeks later he helped the team defeat Athletic in the final of the National Cup, scoring an important goal. He took a leading position in the fight for the title of best sniper of the draw, scoring 7 times.
On June 6, together with the team, he beat Juventus in Turin in the Champions League final. Neymar took part in the scoring rally and scored personally at the end of the match. He became one of the top scorers in the European tournament with 10 goals (the same number for Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo). He entered the symbolic team of the Champions League and broke several personal and club records.
At the beginning of July 2020, he extended his contract with the Catalan club until 2021. Under the new terms, Neymar will receive a salary of 32.5 million euros per year. In August, he participated in the Olympic football tournament in Rio de Janeiro. As the leader of the national team, he helped the team win gold medals. The German team was defeated in the final match.
Star Trek
In Neymar’s sharp and high start, of course, the attacking role on the field, which was assumed by the chosen role, was also important. The one who scores a goal is always the center of public attention, unlike those who defend or help the team create scoring chances. But in order to be at the epicenter of glory, you need to be able to hit someone else's goal. The young debutant proved that the money was not invested in him in vain:
Neymar plays for Santos
- in the second match played after signing the contract, he scored his first goal in big football;
- a year later, his native Santos won the state championship, and da Silva himself was recognized as the best player of the season;
- some time later, Santos wins the Brazilian Cup, and the second Santos, Neymar da Silva, receives the title of top scorer of the championship;
- The Copa Libertadores, which Santos won that same summer, was the championship of the South American continent, and this victory was snatched from the former multiple champions of Latin American football.
Neymar plays for Barcelona
When in 2011, just two years later, FIFA awarded Neymar the Puskás Ferenc Award for the most beautiful goal, no one had the slightest doubt that the award was legitimate. Football fans still remember how incredibly a young football player single-handedly bypassed the enemy defense and sent a ball of incredible beauty and technique into the goal of the opponent, the Flamengo team. The video of this scoring moment is still on the list of favorite moments of football fans all over the world.
Publication from Nj ?? ? neymarjr (@neymarjr) Apr 14, 2020 at 2:20 am PDT
In 2012, Neymar da Silva Santos Junior added to his winning list the “Outstanding Play” award, the first (and only up to that point) winner of which was the incredible Pele.
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