#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.
