Neymar (Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, born 5 February 1992) is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder and forward for Santos, the club where his career began. He is Brazil's all-time top scorer with 80 international goals and one of the most gifted dribblers of his generation. He retired from international football in July 2026, after Brazil lost 2-1 to Norway in the round of 16 of the World Cup. This biography follows his life and career up to November 2026.
Neymar at a Glance
| Full name | Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior |
| Born | 5 February 1992, Mogi das Cruzes, São Paulo, Brazil |
| Age | 34 (as of November 2026) |
| Profession | Professional footballer (forward and attacking midfielder) |
| Current club | Santos (captain) |
| Brazil record | 80 goals, the national team's all-time top scorer |
| Major honours | Copa Libertadores (2011), Champions League (2015), Olympic gold (2016) |
| International status | Retired from Brazil duty in July 2026 |
| Transfer record | 222 million to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 |
Early Life
Neymar was born in Mogi das Cruzes in the state of São Paulo to Neymar Santos Sr., a former footballer, and Nadine da Silva. His father became his adviser as his talent grew, and Neymar has described how closely his father looked after his finances and family. He grew up combining futsal with street football, and he has said that futsal shaped his technique and speed of thought. His idol was Robinho, and he also looked up to Ronaldinho, Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney.
In 2003 the family moved to Santos, where Neymar joined the club's youth academy. At 14 he travelled to Spain for a trial with the Real Madrid youth team, but his father preferred that he keep growing at Santos. He signed his first professional contract at 17 and made his senior debut in 2009.
Santos and the Copa Libertadores
Neymar became a teenage sensation at Santos. In 2011 he led the club to the Copa Libertadores title and was named the tournament's best player. His performances made him one of the most sought-after young players in the world, and he moved to Europe in 2013.
Barcelona and the Treble
At Barcelona Neymar formed the attacking trio known as MSN with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez. In 2014-15 he finished as joint top scorer in the Champions League and in the Copa del Rey as Barcelona completed the continental treble. At 23 he was viewed as one of the three best players in the world, alongside Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Paris Saint-Germain and Al-Hilal
In 2017 Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain in a world-record 222 million transfer. Injuries affected much of his time in Paris, but he was influential in the club's Ligue 1 titles in 2017-18, 2019-20 and 2022-23, and he was part of the team that reached the 2020 Champions League final, which PSG lost. He scored 118 goals for the club, making him its fourth-highest scorer. In 2023 he joined Saudi club Al-Hilal, and he returned to Santos in January 2025.
Brazil National Team
Neymar was capped about 130 times by Brazil and scored 80 goals, passing the long-standing record held by Pelé. He won the 2013 Confederations Cup and its Golden Ball, an Olympic silver medal in 2012 and Brazil's first Olympic gold medal in football at the 2016 Rio Games. He missed Brazil's 2019 Copa América triumph through injury, then led them to the 2021 final and shared the Golden Ball.
A torn left anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in October 2023 kept him out for a long period. Coach Carlo Ancelotti named him in Brazil's 26-man 2026 World Cup squad on 18 May 2026, although he had struggled to regain full fitness. He came on as a substitute in the 3-0 win over Scotland on 24 June, which made him the fourth Brazilian to feature in four World Cups after Pelé, Djalma Santos and Cafu. On 5 July he scored a penalty in the 2-1 loss to Norway, his ninth World Cup goal, and then announced his retirement from international football, saying "I tried, I tried. Now it's over." He reaffirmed the decision on 29 July.
Playing Style
Neymar is known for his dribbling, technical skill, agility, passing and finishing. Official performance data ranked him among the top two players in Europe for five consecutive seasons from 2015-16 to 2019-20. He has been named the world's most marketable athlete by SportsPro and was included in the Time 100 list in 2017.
Legacy
Neymar's career is defined by flair as much as by trophies. He has a Copa Libertadores, a Champions League and an Olympic gold medal on his record, along with Brazil's scoring record. Injuries limited him in his prime, and debate about whether he fulfilled his talent remains part of his story.
Conclusion
At 34, Neymar has left the national team after four World Cups and 80 goals, and he continues to play for Santos, the club that launched him. Whatever he does next, his record for Brazil and his place among the most skilful players of his era are secure.
