Neymar Jr: The Prince That Never Stood Up

Neymar Jr. needs no introduction in the world of football. From a rising superstar labeled as the next Pelé, he moved to Europe to chase every young boy’s dream — playing for major clubs like Barcelona F.C. and Paris Saint-Germain F.C. in pursuit to gain silverware. Neymar was destined to become the king of football after the era of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, with his jaw-dropping dribbling, dazzling passes, and creative style of play. He represented the future of a Brazilian nation that seemed to have lost the spark and dominance it once held in the 1990s. But how did the prince of Brazil fail to live up to the standard his people set for him?

 

A Prince In Poverty

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior was born on February 5, 1992, in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil — one of the poorest and toughest neighborhoods in São Paulo. From birth, he faced challenges he had to overcome: family accidents, extreme poverty, and financial hardship so severe that his family moved in with his grandparents just to save enough money for food. Despite all of this, with his family’s love and his passion for football, Neymar kept fighting. As he once said, “They’re everything to me; they are my foundation. They help me in all my needs. I thank God for putting me in this family.”

 

Knocking Opportunity

This all paid off when, at just twelve years old, one of Brazil’s most historic teams came knocking on Neymar’s door: Santos FC — instantly making him the club’s new wonderkid. He spent seven years there, working his way up to the first team. But for Santos fans, one question mattered most: Could this unproven kid bring back hardware?

Santos is undeniably a major Brazilian club, yet it had long been overshadowed by the nation’s “Big Three” — São Paulo, Corinthians, and Palmeiras — who had dominated the Série A for over fifty years. Since Pelé’s retirement, Santos had managed only one league title, far from the glory days of the 1950s and 60s when Pelé led them to consecutive Copa Libertadores triumphs.

With that history of decline, the Santos ultras placed enormous pressure on young Neymar to restore the club’s greatness — and he delivered.

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The Rise

In his first year as a professional, Neymar helped Santos win two of Brazil’s most prestigious trophies — the Copa do Brasil, where he was named Player of the Tournament, and the Campeonato Paulista. He played 48 games that season at only 18 years old, and his impact only grew from there.

In the 2010–2011 season, Neymar brought his boyhood club back to the top, leading Santos to its first Copa Libertadores title in 50 years, defeating the Uruguayan giants Peñarol — the same trophy Pelé had last lifted with Santos in 1962. Along with several individual honors, including the 2011 South American Footballer of the Year, Neymar became the undeniable star of Santos. Soon, major European clubs began chasing the 19-year-old prodigy.

He decided to stay with Santos through their 100th anniversary and the FIFA Club World Cup, where they reached the final against a legendary Barcelona side featuring Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Dani Alves, and Víctor Valdés. Santos lost 4–0, but Neymar was still named the third-best player of the tournament. After 238 matches and 148 goals for Santos, Neymar knew it was time for a new chapter. In June 2013, his transfer from Santos to FC Barcelona was completed for €61 million.

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Barcelona F.C. 

Neymar’s first season in Spain was disappointing — not only for him but for the club as well. He scored 15 goals in 41 games, but Barcelona struggled under manager Tito Vilanova (and later Gerardo Martino), who stepped down due to health issues and sadly passed away soon after.

The 2014 World Cup brought even more heartbreak. In Brazil’s quarterfinal match against Colombia, defender Juan Zúñiga kneed Neymar in the spine in the 88th minute, fracturing his vertebra and forcing him to leave the pitch in tears. Without their star, Brazil suffered a devastating 7-1 loss to the eventual champions Germany in the semifinals.

Neymar recovered fully and came back stronger than ever. He went on to win the UEFA Champions League, finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals, helping Barcelona defeat Juventus in the final.

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The Transfer

After one more year in Spain, Neymar did the unthinkable by joining PSG in 2017 for a whopping 222 million euro. It is the most expensive transfer in football history and this record still has not been passed. With that amount of money, high expectations came along with it and the France giants wanted the champions league that they so badly desired. With Neymar, PSG hoped to finally win the award. At his time with PSG,  he played 173 games and had 118 goals with 80 assists with his best years being in the 2017-18 season, where he had 28 goals in a competition.  The 2020-2021 season was also filled with great achievement as he reached the UCL final against Bayern Munich and was a key player. but  ultimately lost to the German giants who were on a high that year. 

Neymar suffered numerous injuries during his time in France, which prevented him from fully reaching his potential. Despite this, he still managed to collect an impressive number of trophies with Paris Saint-Germain - winning the French Cup three times (2017/18, 2019/20, and 2020/21), the French League Cup twice, and securing five Ligue 1 titles. However, the one trophy that continued to elude him was the UEFA Champions League.

Many in the football world criticized Neymar for failing to deliver European glory, especially since PSG had built the team around him. As the years went on, his spark seemed to fade. The fans -  particularly the Ultras - demanded more, the club pushed for a contract extension, and then Neymar made what many consider one of the worst decisions of his career.

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The Dropoff

In the 2023/24 season, Neymar Jr. joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal for 90 million euros. Reports suggest that after leaving the club, he earned over 200 million euros, which is a huge sum but not unexpected for a player of his caliber. However, many feel he did not deliver on the field.

During his time in Saudi Arabia, Neymar played only seven games, scoring one goal and providing three assists. It was a disappointing return for a player of his stature. His tenure at Al-Hilal was plagued by injuries. An ACL tear kept him out for a year, during which he joined the club. When he returned in October of last year, he played just two more games before suffering a hamstring injury that sidelined him until December. His stay was short-lived, as he was released from the club in January.

Until now, Neymar’s career has had its ups and downs, and this period marked one of his lowest points. Yet, despite the setbacks, there remains hope for the Brazilian superstar.

The Prince Returns Home

On January 31, 2025, Neymar Jr. would return and play for his boyhood club, Santos, signing  a sixth month contract with hopes of extending it. The “King of Brazil” was making a comeback after a 12-year absence. However, the start was not easy because he suffered two injuries around March and April. Despite this, he was determined to prove himself for his comeback.

In the seven matches he has played so far, Neymar has scored three goals and provided three assists, contributing to a goal or assist every 85 minutes and earning four “Man of the Match” awards. With these performances, Santos and Neymar agreed to extend his contract until December of this year, 2025.

Currently, Santos sits 16th in the league, just one spot above relegation. Can Neymar help his boyhood club avoid the drop and bring them back to the glory they enjoyed 12 years ago?

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The Aftermath

Neymar Jr. is, without a doubt, one of the greatest players of our generation. He has lit up the field and entertained fans like few others, always playing with the joy and creativity of a kid from the streets of Brazil. Throughout his career, he faced countless ups and downs - from being fouled and injured to enduring criticism in his own country - yet he always found a way to come back and push his team forward.

Neymar Jr. will forever be remembered as the prince who never became king.