In Santos, Sao Paulo, Brazil, a crowd of hundreds of children crammed into Neymar’s Institute start yelling uncontrollably.
It takes some time for those further down to figure out what’s happening before they notice the main man has shown up.
“Everything changes in the city when Neymar returns home. One local had already mentioned the excitement the day before.
On the third level of his magnificent property in Jardim Gloria, Praia Grande, the Paris Saint-Germain striker can be seen watching the football matches taking place below him through an open window.
As they shout, “Neymar. Neymar. Neymar,” the kids join in. A man donning emerald-green shades waves in response. In ecstasy, the children yell out.
The 26-year-old knows firsthand what it’s like to be a child growing up in a low-income neighborhood in Brazil, having been one of those kids himself. He’s rewarding himself for that reason.
Neymar’s roots
Approximately sixty kilometers north of Sao Paulo, in the city of Mogi das Cruzes, Neymar was born.
After Neymar’s father had to give up his football career due to a fractured hip and vehicle accident, the family had to go to Sao Vincente, a state in Sao Paulo adjacent to Santos, to live with Neymar’s grandparents. Rafaella, Neymar’s sister, is four years younger than him.
At one point, the family had to sleep on the same mattress since money was scarce.
His father, Neymar Sr., has characterized Jardim Gloria in Praia Grande, one of the poorer areas of Sao Paulo, as a dumping site, so the family relocated there again when they needed more space. By “literally,” he meant it.
Telling the institute, “We used to live here when this neighbourhood was not that developed,” Neymar Sr. This area has a terrible reputation for social character; in fact, we used to reside here back when it was a landfill where the whole city dumped its trash.
We stayed here until approximately 2008, before [Neymar Jr.] turned professional, so it wasn’t that long ago—about 2000. Within this society, we lived. Every day, modern civilization deals with particularities, and we have lived through them.
Neymar Sr. was a mechanic, a salesperson, and a labourer; his son, however, was one of the wealthiest children in the Jardim Gloria district, despite his father’s dire financial situation.
Unlike the makeshift dwellings of his acquaintances, his home was well-constructed, and his street had asphalt rather than mud.
How Neymar’s talent was discovered
While Neymar was a young boy of six years old in Sao Vincente, Betinho dos Santos noticed his talent.
The Santos talent scout described Neymar as “the first time I saw him playing was during a beach soccer match in São Vicente in 1998”. “I saw a six-year-old boy running through the stands and that caught my attention, for seeing his ability, agility, and motor coordination, because any tumble he would face there it would have caused a fracture – an ugly one.”
The first coach Neymar had, Betinho, led him to futsal, an indoor football sport popular in Brazil, where he blossomed.
“Of all the boys I dealt with, none of them had what Neymar has,” said Betinho. He is nimble.
The ‘ginga’ is that. The ability to deceive the opponent by dribbling and manipulating one’s own body is a trait shared by people of his biotype.
“This ‘thing’ is with him. That is innately Brazilian; it is a quality that is present in every Brazilian from birth.
The senior brass at Santos wasted no time taking note of these abilities. Plus, Neymar inked his first professional contract when he was just 12 years old.
After five years of school and training, the newest sensation from Brazil debuted for the Sao Paulo-based club when he was seventeen years old. Real Madrid even showed interest in him when he was just 14 years old.
His career reached a turning point in 2010 when he earned his first cap for Brazil.
Neymar was left out of Brazil’s World Cup roster that year, despite letters from Pele and Romario pleading with Dunga to include him and a petition signed by 14,000 people.
The wait, however, was brief. Neymar scored in the 28th minute of his debut match against the USA in late July. He hasn’t turned around since then.
When he was a club player again, Neymar spent 4.5 years with Santos, where he established himself as one of the best players in the world. In 2013, he moved on to Barcelona for £71.5 million.
The Brazilian had his first taste of European triumph at the Nou Camp, where he won two La Liga crowns and a Champions League, in addition to playing alongside Lionel Messi.
He finished behind Cristiano Ronaldo and his Barça teammate for the Ballon d’Or in 2015.
His welcome at the 2014 World Cup, which was held in his home country of Brazil, was indicative of how well esteemed he was in Brazil and of his rising renown.
It appeared predetermined that this extraordinary young man would become the most expensive footballer in the world.
It seemed like destiny had always been written for this youngster who had been observed playing on the Praia Grande beaches; this summer, Paris Saint-Germain shocked the world by meeting his £199 million buyout clause.
Plus, Neymar is giving back because he has never lost touch with his roots.
The Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr
Neymar inaugurated the Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr. in 2014, following four years of planning and construction.
More than 2400 youngsters in difficult social conditions, ranging in age from 7 to 14, receive education, health examinations, and access to sports equipment at the institution, which is located in the center of the favela where the PSG star grew up.
The Red Bull Neymar Jr.’s Five, his personal 5-a-side tournament, now has its yearly World Finals held there as well.
With 62 different countries represented, even the typical ballpark player had an opportunity to compete for their country at Neymar’s competition this year.
Neymar personally attends the tournament’s last day to watch the semifinals and final, then teams up with friends to take on the champions.
On this particular day, a large number of schoolchildren were granted permission to observe and behold their beloved figure in person.
“Neymar” was very forthright. To get everyone pumped up, he pulled off tricks, scored goals, and even a rainbow flick.
At the World Cup, Brazil’s golden kid took a lot of heat. Refreshingly honest, Neymar responded to accusations that he was overreacting and acting.
“You might think I get too worked up, and occasionally I do,” he stated in an advertisement for Gillette. On the field, though, I do not feel well. Outside of it, you have no clue what I endure.
The reason I come across as rude is not that I am a spoiled brat, but rather that I have not yet mastered the art of controlling my temper.
Inside of me, there is still a boy. At times, it astounds everyone. Occasionally, it annoys everyone. Furthermore, I am fighting for this boy’s life. Rather than on the field, inside of me.
Even Neymar’s inner child is paying back.