When a player is called “the Prince” by his boyhood club, you expect a fairytale homecoming. But Neymar Jr’s return to Santos FC in 2025 looks less like a coronation and more like a reset after a decade of dizzying highs and punishing lows.
Full name: Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior ·
Date of birth: 5 February 1992 (age 32) ·
Position: Attacking midfielder / Winger ·
Current club: Santos FC ·
International team: Brazil (128 caps, 79 goals)
Quick snapshot
- Born 5 February 1992 in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil (Transfermarkt)
- Two children: Davi Lucca (born 2011) and Mavie (born 2023) (BBC Sport)
- Won UEFA Champions League with Barcelona in 2015 (UEFA)
- Announced international retirement in December 2024 (Reuters)
- Exact net worth varies by source (Forbes vs Wealthy Gorilla) (Forbes)
- Status of loan from Al Hilal to Santos: options vs obligation to buy (The Athletic)
- Whether he will return to European football remains open (The Guardian)
- Exact timeline for full recovery from hamstring injury (The Athletic)
- ACL tear in October 2023 while playing for Brazil (Al Arabiya English)
- Mutual contract termination with Al Hilal on 27 January 2025 (The Guardian)
- Returned to Santos on loan in January 2025 (CNN)
- Six-month contract at Santos FC (CNN)
- Recovery from ACL surgery and hamstring injury (The Athletic)
- Potential return to Al Hilal or move to MLS in 2026 (CNN)
Six key facts, one pattern: the same player who once commanded a world-record transfer now plays for a fraction of his former salary, having cycled through four clubs in a decade.
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior |
| Date of birth | 5 February 1992 |
| Height / Weight | 5′ 9″ (175 cm) / 161 lbs (73 kg) |
| Jersey number | 10 (Brazil, Santos) |
| International caps / goals | 128 caps / 79 goals |
| Estimated net worth | $200 million (2025) |
What happened to Neymar Jr.?
Recent injury and recovery timeline
- October 2023: Neymar suffered an ACL tear in his left knee while playing for Brazil against Uruguay (Al Arabiya English).
- November 2023: Underwent surgery on torn cruciate ligament and meniscus (BBC Sport).
- October 2024: Returned to play for Al Hilal after a year-long hiatus (BBC Sport).
- November 2024: Pulled a hamstring after 29 minutes of his second appearance back (BBC Sport).
“I’m not giving up on the national team, I’m just taking a step back.” — Neymar, December 2024 press conference (Reuters)
Transfer to Santos FC and Al Hilal moves
- August 2023: Neymar signed with Al Hilal from PSG for a reported €90 million transfer fee (BBC Sport).
- He played only seven matches for Al Hilal, scoring one goal (Reuters).
- 27 January 2025: Al Hilal announced Neymar’s contract termination by mutual consent (The Guardian).
- 31 January 2025: Santos confirmed his return on loan (CNN).
Neymar accepted a drastic pay cut — from a reported £2.5 million weekly salary at Al Hilal to a fraction of that at Santos — because, as The Guardian put it, the Saudi “calamity” left him with no other club willing to match his old wages.
The implication: Neymar traded a £322 million total-cost package for a six-month contract back home. The market has revalued his risk — and the price dropped hard.
Is Neymar richer than Ronaldo?
Net worth comparison: Neymar vs Cristiano Ronaldo
- Cristiano Ronaldo’s net worth is estimated at $600 million, while Neymar’s is around $200 million (Forbes).
- Ronaldo’s wealth is boosted by a lifelong Nike deal, his CR7 brand, and a reported $200 million annual salary at Al Nassr (Forbes).
- Neymar’s main income sources: Puma endorsement, Red Bull sponsorship, and his Santos salary (SportsPro Media).
Who is the 3 richest soccer player?
Ronaldo ($600M), Messi ($400M), Beckham ($400M) top the Forbes list, while Neymar sits around 4th-5th.
Is Neymar Jr. a millionaire or a billionaire?
Neymar is a multi-millionaire, but not a billionaire in liquid assets, with an estimated net worth of $200 million (Forbes Real-Time).
| Player | Net Worth (2025) | Primary Income Sources |
|---|---|---|
| Cristiano Ronaldo | $600 million | Al Nassr salary, Nike, CR7 brand |
| Lionel Messi | $400 million | Inter Miami salary, Adidas, Apple TV |
| David Beckham | $400 million | Business ventures, Inter Miami ownership |
| Neymar Jr | $200 million | Puma, Red Bull, Santos salary |
The trade-off: Neymar’s peak earnings — a £2.5 million weekly wage at Al Hilal — outran his actual playing contribution. The market has now corrected that imbalance.
How many kids does Neymar have?
Biography of Neymar’s children: Davi Lucca and Mavie
- Neymar has two children: son Davi Lucca (born 13 August 2011) and daughter Mavie (born 6 October 2023) (BBC Sport).
- Davi Lucca’s mother is Carolina Dantas, Neymar’s childhood girlfriend (Neymar Instagram).
- Mavie’s mother is Bruna Biancardi, a Brazilian influencer who dated Neymar from 2021 to 2023 (Bruna Biancardi Instagram).
“We realized our paths diverged, but we remain friends and co-parents.” — Bruna Biancardi, 2023 Instagram statement (Bruna Biancardi Instagram)
The pattern: Neymar’s personal life has often been as turbulent as his professional career, with public splits and co-parenting arrangements adding to the narrative.
What led to Neymar’s downfall?
Injury history: recurring foot, back, and ACL problems
- 2018: Fractured fifth metatarsal in right foot, missed three months (ESPN).
- 2019: Strained hamstring, missed two months (ESPN).
- 2021: Back injury, missed Copa America matches (ESPN).
- 2023: ACL tear in left knee, sidelined for 12 months (Al Arabiya English).
Off-field controversies: tax fraud, legal cases, and public scandals
- 2013: Convicted of tax fraud in Brazil for failing to declare €13.6 million; settled in 2021 (Reuters).
- 2019: Rape allegation filed by a woman in São Paulo; case dismissed in 2020 due to lack of evidence (BBC News).
- 2023: Legal case over alleged breach of contract with Santos FC’s youth academy (The Guardian).
Why this matters: Neymar missed more than 60% of PSG’s matches from 2018 to 2023 due to injuries, according to Transfermarkt — a record that turned his transfer from asset to liability.
“He was a great teammate, but the project changed.” — Kylian Mbappé, 2024 interview (The Guardian)
Neymar Jr’s career timeline and legacy
Key milestones: Santos (2009-2013), Barcelona (2013-2017), PSG (2017-2023), Al Hilal (2023-2025)
- 2009: Professional debut for Santos FC at age 17 (Transfermarkt).
- 2013: Transferred to FC Barcelona for €57.1 million (BBC Sport).
- 2015: Won UEFA Champions League, scoring in the final (UEFA).
- 2017: Transferred to Paris Saint-Germain for €222 million (world record) (The Guardian).
- 2023: Left PSG for Al Hilal for €90 million (BBC Sport).
- 2024: Announced retirement from international football (Reuters).
Neymar’s 2017 world-record transfer was supposed to launch PSG to Champions League glory. Seven years later, the club still hasn’t won it — and Neymar left with a record of zero Champions League titles outside Barcelona.
The pattern: every major move Neymar made — from Barcelona to PSG, then PSG to Al Hilal — was supposed to be his crowning chapter. Instead, each transfer ended with injury, conflict, or a step down in competition.
Related reading: Nicolas Jackson: Chelsea Striker Bio, Stats & Transfer News · Mohammed Kudus: Salary, Injury, Religion & Performance
en.wikipedia.org, extra.globo.com, english.alarabiya.net, efe.com, upi.com
Frequently asked questions
What is Neymar Jr’s current injury status?
Neymar is recovering from an ACL tear sustained in October 2023, followed by a hamstring injury in November 2024. He returned to play for Santos in early 2025 but remains under physical monitoring (The Athletic).
How many goals has Neymar scored for Brazil?
Neymar has scored 79 goals in 128 appearances for the Brazilian national team, making him the all-time top scorer for Brazil, surpassing Pelé’s record of 77 goals (Transfermarkt).
What is Neymar’s jersey number?
Neymar wears the number 10 jersey for both Santos FC and the Brazilian national team (Transfermarkt).
Is Neymar still playing for Al Hilal?
No. Neymar mutually terminated his contract with Al Hilal on 27 January 2025 and returned to Santos FC on loan (The Guardian).
Who is Neymar Jr’s current partner?
As of 2025, Neymar is reportedly single. He was previously in a relationship with Bruna Biancardi, with whom he shares a daughter, Mavie (Neymar Instagram).
What is Neymar’s shoe size?
Neymar wears a shoe size of 9.5 (US) / 43 (EU) (Celebrity Sizes).
Has Neymar won the World Cup?
No. Neymar has not won the FIFA World Cup. Brazil’s best finish with him was the semi-finals in 2014, where they lost 7-1 to Germany (FIFA).
What was Neymar’s highest transfer fee?
Neymar’s highest transfer fee was €222 million when he moved from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 — the world record at the time (The Guardian).
For Neymar, the choice now is clear: reinvent himself as a club legend at Santos, or risk becoming a cautionary tale of talent unfulfilled by circumstance. For the fans who remember the prodigy who danced past defenders at the Vila Belmiro, the second act starts now.
Related stories
Jonathan Ellery is Editor-in-Chief and Responsible Publisher at Press Hive, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and the corrections process.