5 things you probably didn’t know about Neymar (No 3 is interesting)

By Boluwatife Ezekiel Olaleye

Did you know West Ham were linked with the Brazilian in 2012 and that he had a part in a Vin Diesel movie?

Neymar looks set to leave Barcelona for Paris St Germain in a world-record deal worth 222million euros (£198.6million).

Here are five things about the Brazil striker.

1. Family first
Neymar is guided by his family. His father, Neymar Santos Sr, is his agent, is a former player himself and earned his son his first sponsorship deal at the age of 17. Neymar has a tattoo of his sister Rafaella Beckran’s face on his arm, while in turn she has Neymar’s eyes on hers.

2. Close to Real deal
Neymar could have been playing against Barcelona had he moved to Spain at 14

He has made his name with Barcelona but could have joined Real Madrid as a 14-year-old. He travelled to the Spanish capital but said he chose the “cultural values” of growing up in his home country. He described it as “my first serious choice”. Resting the pressure of moving to Europe was not always easy. Neymar Sr told the New York Times how strangers would approach him in the street and tell him to send his son overseas.

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3. Never blowing bubbles
He scored his 100th professional goal on his 20th birthday in 2012. By this point, the Santos man had been the subject of interest from West Ham, with the player himself admitting he had talks with the club’s hierarchy via video link-up.

4. Star of the silver screen
Neymar featured in xXx Return of Xander Cage alongside Vin Diesel

In June 2016, Vin Diesel said that Neymar would be starring alongside him in the action film Return of Xander Cage. He went on to play himself. In the film, a character played by Samuel L Jackson tries to recruit Neymar to join the National Security Agency. His fame extended to him being named on the TIME 100 list of the most influential people in the world – the only footballer on the list.

5. Sneaker freak
Neymar is a keen collector of trainers and once spent more than £14,000 on them in one shopping trip. Hehas his own collaboration with Nike and basketball great Michael Jordan, the ‘Air Jordan v Neymar’. He described meeting the six-time NBA champion as one of the happiest moments of his life.