Brazilian Magician Returns Home

Neymar's Last Dream: For It, He Turned Down Messi and Rejected a €200 Million Contract.

In 2011, Santos received an offer of €58 million from Real Madrid for Neymar, a 19-year-old with promising potential. Even Pelé approved of him as his "heir." The club's president quickly responded with a new contract for the young star, featuring an unusual clause about… Neymar’s hairstyle.

Do you remember Neymar's quirky mohawk? He even brought it to Barcelona. Under the new agreement, Neymar's hairstyle was untouchable. The young star got complete creative freedom – and a bag of cash to go with it. But rumor is Neymar didn’t even look at the money, fearing that Mourinho would greet him at the Madrid airport with clippers.

This anecdote fits Neymar's personality well. He wasn’t eager to go to Europe and openly declared his love for Santos in nearly every interview. Extending his contract wasn't unusual for him. But after discussions with the club’s management, Neymar and his family decided to leave Brazil, unable to resist the allure of playing for a club whose history was shaped by his idols, Ronaldinho and Messi. And, of course, the chance to play alongside peak Messi was too good to pass up.

Maybe it also had to do with a change of president at Santos just weeks before the deal with Barcelona in 2013. Unlike his predecessor and young Neymar, the new president found money bags interesting. But we may never know for sure. In any case, Neymar eventually spent his money on poker, nightclubs, and alimony.

Now he’s 32, and we’ve almost forgotten about him. He’s been in Saudi Arabia since August 2023 but has not played even ten matches. A severe ACL injury kept him out for nearly a half-season. With some quick math, we find Neymar's earnings at around €30 million per game, thanks to his €200 million yearly deal, including bonuses and endorsements.

Finally, at the end of October, he returned to the pitch… Just days before Santos announced the return of its star graduate.

“Neymar will arrive at Santos in June. This is what we talked about. He will return,” said Santos Vice President Nico Osvaldo, as quoted by Football Espana.

What more is there to say? Reports suggest Al-Hilal offered him an extension on his insane contract. Even Messi called him to join Inter Miami, offering the party lifestyle in the U.S. But Neymar, after 12 years, is heading back home.

Back to where he never really wanted to leave. With bags of money, a few extra pounds, and still that mohawk. At almost 30, nostalgia has finally taken over. Neymar admitted that returning to Santos is his last football dream, one for which he’s willing to do anything.

And he’s not lying.

Published by Patrick Jane
02.11.2024