Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, born on February 5, 1992, is one of the best soccer players in the world. He plays for the Saudi Arabian club, Al Hilal, and the Brazilian national team. Unveiled by Santos in 2009, Neymar won several titles with the club, including two ‘Campeonatos Paulistas’ in a row, a ‘Copa do Brasil’ and a ‘Libertadores.’ In his second season at Barcelona, he achieved the treble wins of La Liga, Copa del Rey, and UEFA Champions League, and was a finalist for the FIFA Ballon d’Or in the same year. Right here, we’ll help you in celebrating his special day!
Fast Facts
Full Name:
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior
Nickname:
Jóia, Juninho, Ney, Menino Ney, Príncipe do Gol
Birth date:
February 5, 1992
Age:
32
Zodiac Sign:
Aquarius
Height:
5' 9"
Relationship Status:
In a relationship
Net Worth:
$200 million
Background
Neymar is a Brazilian professional soccer player who plays for Al Hilal and the Brazil national team. Neymar is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world. He started playing football as a boy in the city of São Vicente under the guidance of his father, a former professional footballer who remained a close mentor throughout his son’s career. He played street and indoor soccer and joined the Portuguesa Santista youth team in São Vicente, and in 2003 he and his family moved to Santos city.
Already an impressive player, he joined the youth ranks of Santos Futebol Clube (the same club for which Brazilian football legend Pelé played for most of his national career). At 14 years old, Real Madrid wanted him and Santos Futebol Club had to increase his salary to keep him. He made his professional debut at Santos Futebol Clube in 2009 and helped the team win the Copa Libertadores in 2011.
Internationally, Neymar was considered to be part of the Brazilian team at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but ended up not being chosen for the squad. Instead, he made his international debut in August 2010, in a friendly against the U.S., where he scored his first international goal in Brazil’s 2-0 victory. He scored four goals for Brazil in the 2013 Confederations Cup, including the team’s 3-0 victory over Spain in the final, and won the ‘Golden Ball’ as the tournament’s most valuable player, as well as the ‘Bronze Boot’ as the third top scorer.
He was the star player for Brazil when his country hosted the 2014 World Cup, scoring four goals in five games before being knocked out of the competition with a fractured vertebra in the quarter-finals. Without the team’s most important player, Brazil lost by a surprising 7-1 margin to Germany in the semifinals. Neymar won the ‘Bronze Boot’ despite his early exit from the tournament. At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, he led the Brazilian team to its first Olympic gold medal, scoring the winning penalty in the final match against Germany.
In 2017, Neymar transferred to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) for €222 million, which made him the most expensive player at the time, and he played for the club until his contract ended after the 2022-2023 season. In August 2023, Neymar completed a transfer to the Saudi Arabian club, Al Hilal on a two-year contract and he made his debut in September, where they beat Al-Riyadh in a 6–1 thrashing.
Neymar has a son, Davi Lucca, born August 13, 2011, with his former girlfriend Carolina Dantas. He began dating model and a social media influencer Bruna Biancardi in 2022, and they announced they were expecting a baby in a joint Instagram post in April 2023. The happy couple became parents to a baby girl, whom they named Mavie, on October 6, 2023.
Career timeline
Neymar travels to Spain for tryouts with the Real Madrid youth team.
At just 17 years old, in his first professional season, Neymar scores 14 goals in 48 games.
Neymar is named the "South American Footballer of the Year," in 2011 and 2012, and soon relocates to Europe to join Barcelona.
On his 20th birthday, Neymar scores his 100th goal as a professional football player against Palmeiras in Campeonato Paulista.
He scores his 100th goal for Barcelona in his 177th match for the club, in a win over the Granada team.
Despite the Brazilian defeat, Neymar is named the best player of the tournament alongside Messi for his performances throughout the Copa América.
In August, Neymar completes a transfer to the Saudi Arabian club, Al Hilal on a two-year contract.
Why We Love Neymar
He is a great father
He has a lot of love for his son, Davi Lucca. He has stated his son is the most important person in his life.
His focus is on being happy
In an interview with "France Football," the player said that his focus is never on playing to be number one. He plays because he loves football and goes out onto the field to have fun.
He is an intuitive player
His ability to see plays before they happen is one of his greatest skills. He can read the game better and make fast, accurate decisions.
5 Surprising Facts About Neymar
A "Time" magazine first
He is the only Brazilian athlete to be featured on the magazine's cover.
He has two Guinness World Records
One of the records is for his transfer from Barcelona to PSG, and the second record is for the fastest goal in Olympic history for a male soccer player.
He appears in a Brazilian comic
In 2013, the Brazilian cartoonist Mauricio de Sousa released a “Monica's Gang” comic book featuring a younger version of Neymar as the main character.
He featured in an Ebola campaign
In 2014, Neymar appeared in FIFA's ‘11 against Ebola’ campaign alongside the best football players in the world, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Xavi, and Drogba.
He loves Brazilian food
His favorite dish is very common in Brazil: steak, rice, black beans, and fries.
Neymar FAQs
How many goals does Neymar have in his professional career?
In his entire career as a professional soccer player, Neymar has amassed 401 goals defending Santos, Barcelona, and PSG, having played 657 matches up until December 2021.
Who is Neymar's best friend?
According to Neymar, his best friend is the legendary Argentinian player, Lionel Messi.
Who is Neymar's idol?
Neymar has revealed that he learned from his football idol, Lionel Messi, every day while they were together at Barcelona.
Neymar’s birthday dates
Year | Date | Day |
---|---|---|
2025 | February 5 | Wednesday |
2026 | February 5 | Thursday |
2027 | February 5 | Friday |
2028 | February 5 | Saturday |
2029 | February 5 | Monday |