Neymar has come a very long way since initially making a name at Santos; brought through the same academy that has produced other Brazilian internationals such as Philippe Coutinho, Elano and Alex.
Everyone knew what a special talent he was in Brazil, with the forward winning the prestigious FIFA Puskas in 2011 for scoring a sensational solo goal in a league match against Flamengo. He won the 2011 South American Footballer of the year, following the steps of Diego Maradona, Romario, Pele and Zico and followed it up by retaining the same award in 2012.
His phenomenal form saw an apparent tug-of-war between Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona for the Brazilian ace, with Neymar eventually transferring to Catalonia and forming a deadly partnership with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
Constantly overshadowed by bigger brands such as Messi and Ronaldo, he’s often shunned by pseudo-pundits and many factions in the footballing world who claim he isn’t the real deal people make him out to be.
Here we list 5 reasons why we love the Brazilian talisman and why he could definitely become one of the finest footballers on the planet.
#5 His unique style and image
While he has been derided for unnecessarily showboating on the field, we firmly believe it is one of the aspects of his game that makes him an infinitely more entertaining and loveable footballer. A rhythmic gymnast with the ball at his feet, his exemplary footwork would leave the opposition for dead.
His tricks and flicks have defined his career. While it could have been easy to drop all of it once he earned his big-money move to Barcelona, he stayed true to his style. In the modern age of football where six-packs and biceps are used to judge a player’s worth, Neymar elucidates why football is called ‘the beautiful game.’ His flimsy and wiry frame hasn’t stopped him from reaching the top.
The Barcelona No.11’s loose jogger style pants, his cuckoo hairstyles and their spunky colours, his wristbands and jazzy apparel, all constitute his image and as a footballer and they’re as unique as they come.
People relate him to Ronaldo through his flashy photo-shoots, his Lamborghinis, his leather jackets and his physicality and commitment. Similarly, people relate him to Messi because of his noble attitude and humble demeanour.
Neymar’s in that bracket of footballers which the younger generation identifies itself with; someone who doesn’t care about what others think and does and dresses as he pleases, shunning social and public opinion.
Neymar also manages to play this ‘fun’ brand of football without sacrificing results on the pitch. When we watch him play, it reminds us of a certain Ronaldinho, maybe the last guy to samba his way into footballing folklore.
#4 His chemistry with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez
Lionel Messi is clearly a notch above every other footballer on the planet, and Luis Suarez has been playing out of skin since moving from Liverpool to Barcelona; so purely on numbers alone, it might be a bit unfair to compare any of the 3 to one another. Each brings a unique playstyle and adds a certain dimension to the team, with their partnership being arguably the most lethal one of the planet.
To those oblivious to the obvious, Neymar plays a vital role in Barcelona’s attacking triumvirate. Maybe initially bought with the view of one day being able to fulfill Messi’s shoes, he has come to his own these past few years.
Contrary to what most believe, Neymar isn’t selfish at all. He created more chances than anyone in Europe’s top 5 leagues last season. His dribbling ability is out of this world too; averaging 4.2 dribbles per game, compared to Lionel Messi’s 3.6 or Riyad Mahrez’s 3.4.
Barcelona’s MSN are clearly very good friends and their chemistry saw them win the treble in 2015. They clearly share the ball among each other, constantly assisting each other’s goals and making space for one another. But unless Neymar gets a proper shot at being No. 1, it is very hard to assuage the stratospheric heights he could achieve.
#3 His physicality
The physicality and toughness of a footballer are often used to gauge how good they are on the pitch and how high their potential ceiling might be. Neymar’s slim physique and trendy hairstyles make for a bad initial reading, giving you the impression of someone who would be pretty easy to dominate and intimidate.
However, Neymar clearly makes up for any deficiency by having insane balance and stability on the ball. He was the most fouled player in Europe’s top 5 leagues, suffering 3.8 fouls per game, more than double of either Messi or Ronaldo.
These challenges aren’t usually ones that try competing for the ball either; they’re usually done with the intention of stopping him in his tracks, preventing him from tearing defences apart.
Despite being at the end of numerous such ludicrous challenges, Neymar hardly ever has any problems concerning fitness, often staying fit throughout the entirety of a season. He also shields the ball amazingly well from defenders, and when pushed or shoved while on the ball, simply regains his balance and continues his run.
While it seems that he often goes down too easily or too theatrically, he does his best to not get involved in spats or tussles and looks the other way. For a rising star at 24, Neymar’s maturity and temperament are not given enough credit.
#2 His impeccable record with the Brazilian national team
Involved in the national setup from a young age, he managed to guide Brazil to the finals of the 2012 Olympics before losing to Mexico. Eventually handed the iconic No. 10 shirt, Neymar continued to impress, winning 3 consecutive man-of-the-match awards as Brazil beat Spain to win the 2013 Confederations Cup; his performances also saw him receive the golden ball for player of the tournament.
It could be seen how much Brazil depend on him when their bid for the 2014 World Cup spectacularly derailed with a 7-1 loss to Germany in the semi-finals; a match for which Neymar was suspended.
Most recently, he captained the team to gold in the 2016 Olympics on home soil, beating Germany in the finals.
Still at a tender age of 24, he has already scored 50 goals for the Brazilian national team in just 75 games, surpassing Zico’s 48 and already fourth on the list for all time highest scorers; behind only Romario (55), Ronaldo Nazario (62) and Pele (77). He has become the beacon for Brazil’s new era of footballers, constantly raising their level of play and single-handedly winning games.
With still a very long way to go in his career, he could easily surpass Pele and become their greatest ever goal-scorer.
Also Read: The most underrated qualities of the World's Best Players
#1 He’s a complete player
As unfortunate as it is, the footballing fraternity simply refuses to recognise Neymar as a complete footballer. This can be pinpointed to his extravagant moves on the pitch, with many unable to look beyond his freestyle mode of playing.
Though the definition of what constitutes a ‘complete footballer’ might vary from person to person, you could argue that Neymar ticks most of these boxes. His deft feet, incredible technical ability, physicality and ability to beat a defender on the turn have already been captured on numerous highlight reels.
Besides this, he also has the ability to shoot with both feet; his goal in the Champions League final against Juventus was a left foot drive. He’s also shown his prowess with free-kicks and heading ability as well.
In his years at Santos and Barcelona, he has developed into one of the most complete and lethal forwards on the planet, with it only being a matter of years before he probably picks up a Ballon d’Or of his own.
