Neymar turns 30: not the successor of Messi or Ronaldo, but unique | league 1

Part 1 of the career of Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior – Neymar for short – is set in South America. Santos’ slender, but quick-witted attacker is a phenomenon on and off the field.

Top scorer, Footballer of the Year in Brazil, a Puskas Award for best goal of the year, starting player for the national team, winner of the Copa Libertadores (South American Champions League), he has it all before he goes to Europe at the age of 21 pulls.

There, his triumph continues in the Barcelona shirt. Among other things, he won a Champions League, twice the title and three Spanish cups.

There is no doubt about his talent. “People come to the stadium for those kinds of players. Still. You are on the edge of your seat every time Neymar gets the ball,” says Frank Raes, who has watched thousands of football players throughout his career as a football commentator.

Halfway through part 2 of his career, Neymar makes a drastic decision. In the summer of 2017 – he will be 25 years old – he will go to PSG for 222 million euros. Why a winning team leaving with Messi and Suarez?

Neymar is getting impatient. In Brazil he was very quickly the star, but at Barcelona he is forever in the shadow of Messi. PSG is there like the chickens and has an argument with which (the entourage of) Neymar can be convinced: money.

A three-part documentary about Neymar has recently been released on Netflix. Neymar’s father expresses his son’s career in money at some point. “We made the first million when he was fourteen.”

“Neymar has been badly advised. He has chosen the money and not the sport,” said Toni Freire, who is responsible for all Barcelona supporters’ organizations outside of Spain. “That’s why many Barca fans don’t want him back since then.”

Since moving to PSG, Neymar has become much more of a moments footballer. If only because he has never played more than 20 league games in five seasons since his move to France.

“I think Neymar underestimated the physical impact of Ligue 1,” said French football expert Sirik Geffray. “Since he played in France, he struggles with injuries a lot more. Messi now also has a period of adjustment to that physical game.”

Those who are injured more often have more time for parties and other excesses. Paris is the “ideal” setting for this. For those who have money, the city of lights has many temptations: fashion, luxury, romance and an exclusive nightlife.

At the start of part 3 of his career, we’d better stop seeing Neymar as the heir apparent to Ronaldo and Messi.

Neymar does not come close to the statistics of those two (see table below). By their 30th birthday, Messi had won the Golden Ball five times, Ronaldo three times. And they were both the defining players of their squad.

“I have the feeling that Kylian Mbappe has already passed Neymar with his current team PSG,” said Sirik Geffray. “Mbappe is more likely to win a Ballon d’Or than Neymar. Or Messi of course. He should already win the Champions League with PSG and guide Brazil to the overall victory of the World Cup to ever win the Ballon d’Or, but that won’t happen. easy.”

Neymar is much more a flesh and blood man than Ronaldo or Messi. Should we be negative about that? “If I had to focus 100 percent on football, my head would explode,” he said last year.

Without frivolity, he is a lesser version of himself. As a footballer and as a person.

“Could he have gotten more out of his career? Yes, but there are so many of them,” says Frank Raes.

“Too much caricature is made of Neymar as if he only falls to the ground. Because of his way of playing – always very close to the opponent and with short hood movements – he really has to deal with a lot of kicks.”

“He has developed a brilliant career and way of playing at 30.”