Career Timeline of Neymar: Major Achievements and Milestones
How Neymar built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.
Neymar Júnior is a Brazilian professional footballer renowned for his dribbling, technical skills, playmaking, and finishing. Widely considered one of the greatest players, he currently plays for Santos and captains the Brazil national team. He is one of the select few to have scored 100 goals for three different clubs. Neymar holds the record as the all-time Brazilian top goalscorer and assist provider in the UEFA Champions League. He also ranks highly among South American international goalscorers and previously held the record for all-time top assist provider in international football.
2003: Contract with Santos Youth Academy
In 2003, Neymar was spotted by Santos and offered a contract. He was then inducted into their youth academy.
March 2009: Professional Debut
On March 7, 2009, one month after turning 17 years old, Neymar made his professional debut in a 2–1 win against Oeste in the 2009 Campeonato Paulista.
2009: Professional Debut with Santos
In 2009, Neymar made his professional debut with Santos.
July 2010: First selection for Brazil senior team
In July 2010, Neymar was selected for the first time in the Brazil senior team by new head coach Mano Menezes for a friendly match against the United States.
August 2010: Debut with the Brazil national team
On August 10, 2010, Neymar, aged 18, debuted with the Brazil national team in a friendly against the United States, scoring a goal in the 28th minute, contributing to Brazil's 2–0 victory.
2010: Copa do Brasil Title
In 2010, Neymar helped Santos win its first ever Copa do Brasil title, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with 11 goals.
2010: Omission from the 2010 World Cup squad
In 2010, despite his successful season with Santos, and public pressure including a 14000 signature petition, Neymar was omitted from Brazil's 2010 World Cup squad by coach Dunga, who felt he lacked sufficient international experience.
2010: Interest from Premier League Clubs
In the summer transfer window of 2010, Santos received bids for Neymar from Premier League clubs West Ham United and Chelsea.
March 2011: Scoring twice against Scotland and racism accusations
In March 2011, Neymar scored twice in a 2–0 win against Scotland. He then complained about racism after a banana was thrown onto the pitch, leading to controversy and an apology request from Scottish officials, which Neymar refused.
March 2011: Signs with Nike and Panasonic
In March 2011, Neymar signed an 11-year contract with Nike and Panasonic paid US$2.4 million to secure Neymar's services for two years.
2011: FIFA Puskás Award for Goal of the Year
In 2011, Neymar recounted his performance for Santos against Flamengo when he scored that year's FIFA Puskás Award for Goal of the Year.
2011: Leading goalscorer at the South American Youth Championship and Copa América participation
In 2011, Neymar was the leading goalscorer of the South American Youth Championship with nine goals and participated in the 2011 Copa América, scoring two goals against Ecuador.
2011: Copa Libertadores win
In 2011, Neymar won the Copa Libertadores with Santos, scoring in the finals.
February 2012: 100th Goal as a Professional Football Player
On February 5, 2012, Neymar scored his 100th goal as a professional football player, against Palmeiras in the Campeonato Paulista.
May 2012: Selection for Brazil Olympic football team
In May 2012, Neymar was selected for the Brazil Olympic football team to participate in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
July 2012: Involvement in warm-up match against Great Britain and first goal against Egypt
In July 2012, Neymar assisted and scored in a warm-up match against Great Britain. He also scored his first goal in the Olympics against Egypt in Brazil's opening fixture.
August 2012: Brace against Palmeiras
On August 25, 2012, Neymar scored a brace in the 2–1 away win at Palmeiras.
2012: Santos champions
In the 2012 Campeonato Paulista Finals against Guarani, Neymar scored twice in both legs, which ended 7–2 on aggregate to crown Santos champions. He finished the 2012 Campeonato Paulista with 20 goals and was voted the Best Player and Best Forward. He was voted the Best Player of the 2012 Recopa Sudamericana, which Santos won.
January 2013: Two Goals in Campeonato Paulista
Neymar started the 2013 Campeonato Paulista scoring twice in the first match, which ended in a 3–1 win over São Bernardo on 19 January 2013.
2013: Lowest Output Since Arriving in Europe
By 2022, Neymar helped PSG win their record-tying 10th national championship, though with 13 goals and 8 assists across all competitions, this was his lowest output since arriving in Europe in 2013.
2013: Signing with Barcelona
In 2013, Neymar signed with Barcelona and became part of the MSN attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez.
2013: Official Debut for Barcelona
Neymar made his official debut for Barcelona during the opening game of the 2013–14 La Liga season as a 63rd-minute substitute for Alexis Sánchez in a 7–0 win against Levante. On 21 August, he played in the 2013 Supercopa de España against Copa del Rey holders Atlético Madrid; he made an immediate impact, scoring Barcelona's only goal as they won the Supercopa on away goals. On 18 September, he made his UEFA Champions League debut, assisting a Gerard Piqué goal as Barça beat Ajax 4–0 in their opening match of the 2013–14 tournament. Six days later, Neymar scored his first goal in La Liga in Barcelona's 4–1 defeat of Real Sociedad at Camp Nou.
March 2014: Hat-trick against South Africa and interaction with a young fan
In March 2014, Neymar scored a hat-trick in a friendly against South Africa. He made headlines by intervening when security tried to remove a young fan from the pitch, introducing him to his teammates.
November 2014: FIFA's "11 against Ebola" Campaign
In November 2014, Neymar participated in FIFA's "11 against Ebola" campaign alongside other top football players like Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Xavi, and Didier Drogba, to raise awareness and combat the disease.
2014: Stellar Season with Barcelona
Early in his career, particularly after his stellar 2014–15 season with Barcelona at 23 years old, he was unanimously expected to win the Ballon d'Or at some point in his career.
2014: Contract extension until after the 2014 FIFA World Cup
In 2011, Neymar signed a contract extension until after the 2014 FIFA World Cup, reportedly increasing his wages by 50%, shunning off interest from top European clubs, including Real Madrid.
2014: Part of MSN attacking trio
In 2014, Neymar became part of a dominant attacking trio with Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez known as MSN.
2014: Named in the Brazil squad for the 2014 World Cup
In 2014, Neymar was named in the Brazil squad for the 2014 World Cup, expected to lead the team to victory on home soil. Prior to the tournament, he scored and assisted in a friendly win over Panama.
2014: Leaving for Europe
On 25 April, his agent and father revealed that Neymar intended to leave for Europe before the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
January 2015: Neymar scored twice and assisted twice in a 6-0 win at Elche
On 24 January 2015, Neymar delivered a strong performance for Barcelona, scoring two goals and providing two assists in a 6-0 victory against Elche.
June 2015: Goal and assist against Peru, red card and suspension at Copa América
In June 2015, Neymar scored and assisted against Peru in the Copa América. He was later red-carded after a match against Colombia for kicking the ball at a player, resulting in a four-match ban.
2015: Treble win with Barcelona
In 2014-2015, Neymar won the treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League, finishing as the top goalscorer of both the Champions League and the Copa del Rey that season.
2015: Neymar's peak performance during Messi's injury
In 2015, during Messi's two-month absence due to a knee injury, Neymar had one of the greatest peaks in his career, scoring 13 goals and providing 9 assists in just 8 games. At 23 years old, Neymar was being praised for elevating to the same level of Messi and Ronaldo, possibly being the best player in the world.
May 2016: Neymar scores in Copa del Rey Final
On 22 May 2016, Neymar scored in Barcelona's 2–0 win against Sevilla in the 2016 Copa del Rey Final, celebrating a domestic double triumph.
June 2016: First Footballer to Wear Air Jordan Boots
In June 2016, Neymar became the first footballer ever to wear Air Jordan-branded boots—a custom Air Jordan V Hypervenom.
June 2016: Inclusion in Brazil's squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics
In late June 2016, Neymar was included as one of the over-23 players in Brazil's squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics on home soil and was named the team's captain.
July 2016: Neymar signs new contract with Barcelona
On 1 July 2016, Neymar signed a new contract with Barcelona until 2021, which included a €200 million buy-out clause, rising to €222m in the second year of his deal, and €250m thereafter.
2016: Neymar scores against Celtic in the Champions League
In September of the 2016–17 season, Neymar registered a goal and four assists in Barcelona's 7–0 win against Celtic in the group stage of the Champions League.
March 2017: Neymar's pivotal role in Barcelona's comeback against PSG
On 8 March 2017, Neymar was vital in Barcelona's 6–1 victory over PSG in the Champions League round of 16. He contributed to all three goals in the final seven minutes, scoring twice and providing an assist in the 95th minute.
July 2017: Media Speculation of Neymar leaving Barcelona
In July 2017, media speculation emerged that Neymar wanted to leave Barcelona to join PSG. On 2 August, Neymar asked Barcelona to allow him to leave.
August 2017: Neymar debut for PSG
On 13 August 2017, Neymar made his debut for PSG, scoring a goal and assisting another in a 3–0 away victory over Guingamp in the league.
2017: Neymar scores in Copa del Rey Final for Barcelona
On 27 May 2017, Neymar scored his 105th and final goal for Barcelona in the 2017 Copa del Rey Final, where Barcelona defeated Alavés 3–1. This achievement made him the first player to score in three consecutive Copa del Rey finals since Ferenc Puskás in the 1960s.
January 2018: Neymar scores four goals against Dijon
On 17 January 2018, Neymar displayed one of his greatest career performances, scoring four goals and assisting two in an 8–0 thrashing of Dijon in the league, earning a 10 rating from L'Equipe.
June 2018: International comeback and goal against Croatia and Austria
In June 2018, Neymar made his international comeback after a three-month absence scoring against Croatia and became Brazil's joint-third highest goalscorer alongside Romário after scoring against Austria. He also scored against Costa Rica.
June 2018: Contract Through June 2018
On 3 June, Neymar was unveiled by Barcelona after passing medical tests and signing a contract that would keep him at the club through June 2018.
August 2018: Neymar scores opening league goal for PSG
On 12 August 2018, Neymar scored PSG's opening league goal of the 2018–19 season in a 3–0 home win over Caen.
May 2019: Inclusion in Copa América squad and ankle injury
In May 2019, Neymar was included in Brazil's squad for the 2019 Copa América but suffered an ankle injury in a friendly win over Qatar, ruling him out of the tournament.
2019: Neymar booed by fans, scores winning goal, and leads PSG to domestic treble
In 2019, the transfer speculation caused tension in Paris, Neymar's first appearance for PSG in the 2019–20 season, he was booed for 90 minutes before scoring a bicycle kick in injury time to win 1–0 against Strasbourg in Ligue 1. He matched the record of Marseille's Gunnar Andersson and PSG won the domestic treble.
August 2020: Nike contract ends, signs with Puma
In August 2020, Neymar's 11-year contract with Nike ended after a sexual assault complaint. Since then, Neymar has signed with Puma and adopted the PUMA King boots.
October 2020: Hat-trick against Peru and second highest goalscorer
On October 13, 2020, Neymar scored a hat-trick in a World Cup qualifier against Peru, surpassing Ronaldo as Brazil's second highest goalscorer of all time.
2020: Neymar Enters PSG's Top Ten Goalscorers
Early in 2020, Neymar entered PSG's top ten goalscorers as he scored his 72nd goal for the club. He also reached 50 goals in Ligue 1 in 58 matches, becoming the fastest player in Ligue 1 history to reach this milestone. He scored twice in a 3–1 group stage victory against Manchester United and a hat-trick in a 5–1 win against İstanbul Başakşehir, becoming the first player in European Cup and Champions League history to score 20 goals for two different clubs.
2020: Champions League Final with PSG
In 2020, Neymar led PSG to their first-ever Champions League final.
January 2021: Neymar scores in Trophée des Champions and suffers injury
In January 2021, Neymar scored a penalty in PSG's 2–1 win over rivals Marseille to win the Trophée des Champions. Shortly after, he suffered his third injury of the season, causing him to miss the round of 16 tie against Barcelona in the Champions League.
December 2021: Deal with Facebook Gaming
In December 2021, Neymar signed a deal with Facebook Gaming.
2021: Neymar's Barcelona contract extended until 2021
In July 2016, Neymar extended his contract with Barcelona until 2021. The details of the contract stated that the buy-out clause would rise to €222m in the second year, and €250m thereafter.
2021: Neymar scores first goal of the 2021-22 season
On September 19, 2021, Neymar scored his first goal of the 2021–22 season, converting a penalty in a 2–1 win over Lyon.
2021: Neymar's Worst Season and Thoughts on European Football
The 2021–22 season was considered the worst season of Neymar's career, facing criticism for declining speed and stamina. In the previous year, Neymar expressed growing weariness with the demands of European football. Despite being linked with a departure, he remained with PSG.
April 2022: Neymar Scores Hat-Trick Against Clermont
On 9 April 2022, Neymar scored a hat-trick as PSG defeated Clermont 6–1 in Ligue 1.
November 2022: Named in the Brazil squad for the 2022 World Cup
In November 2022, Neymar was named in the Brazil squad for the 2022 World Cup, touted to potentially be his crowning moment and was also widely favourite to win the Golden Ball.
2022: Neymar's contract runs until 2022 with PSG
Neymar joined PSG on a contract that would run until 2022, earning roughly €30 million a year—this doubled his Barcelona salary and made him the second-highest paid player in the world.
2022: Hat-trick against Peru and second highest goalscorer
Neymar scored a hat-trick in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Peru, surpassing Ronaldo as the nation's second highest goalscorer of all time.
2022: Neymar starts the 2022-23 season in tremendous form
Neymar started the 2022–23 season in tremendous form, scoring twice against Nantes on 31 July in PSG's 4–0 result to win the Trophée des Champions, scoring a goal and providing a hat-trick of assists in a 5–0 win against Clermont on 6 August, and scoring twice and registering three more assists in PSG's 7–1 away win over Lille. He was named Ligue 1's Player of the Month in August.
August 2023: Neymar Completes Transfer to Al Hilal
On 15 August 2023, Neymar completed a transfer to Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal on a two-year contract for a reported fee of €90 million.
September 2023: Neymar Debuts for Al Hilal
On 15 September 2023, Neymar made his debut for Al Hilal in the league during a 6–1 thrashing of Al-Riyadh, providing an assist to a goal by Malcom.
October 2023: Neymar Scores First Goal for Al Hilal and Suffers ACL Injury
In October 2023, Neymar scored his first goal for Al Hilal in an AFC Champions League match. However, he then ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament while on international duty and was out for the rest of the season.
2023: Joining Al-Hilal
In 2023, Neymar joined Saudi club Al-Hilal before returning to Santos in January 2025.
2023: Brazil's All-Time Top Goalscorer
In 2023, Neymar surpassed Pelé's 52-year long record as Brazil's all-time top goalscorer.
2023: Top Goalscorer in UEFA Champions League
In 2023, Neymar was the all-time top assist provider in international football. He also joined Saudi club Al-Hilal and surpassed Pelé's 52-year long record as Brazil's all-time top goalscorer.
2023: ACL and Meniscus Injury
In 2023, during Brazil's qualifying defeat to Uruguay on October 17, Neymar suffered an ACL and meniscus rupture in his left knee, which required surgery and ruled him out for the remainder of the 2023-24 campaign, as well as the 2024 Copa América.
June 2024: Brand Ambassador for Blaze
In June 2024, Neymar Jr. was appointed brand ambassador for Blaze's exclusive "crash" online gaming product, promoting the sports betting platform's new multiplier‐based wager.
October 2024: Neymar returns to action and suffers hamstring injury
Neymar returned to action for 2024–25 on 21 October 2024 during Al Hilal's AFC Champions League match against Al Ain. However, he soon suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for the rest of the year.
2024: Out of Copa América
As a consequence of the ACL and meniscus rupture, in 2024 Neymar was left out of Brazil's squad for the Copa América.
January 2025: Return to Santos
In January 2025, Neymar returned to Santos.
January 2025: Neymar's Contract with Al Hilal Terminated
On 27 January 2025, Al Hilal announced an agreement for the termination of Neymar's contract by mutual consent.
January 2025: Neymar announces signing with Santos
On 30 January 2025, Neymar announced through his social media that he would be signing a contract with his first club Santos. The following day, Santos confirmed his return.
March 2025: Named in Preliminary Squad
In March 2025, Neymar was named in the 29 men preliminary squad for the national team.
2025: Neymar's Return to Santos and Contract Renewal
In 2025, Neymar made his return in a Copa do Brasil match against CRB. He later returned to the starting lineup, but was sent off in a match against Botafogo. On 24 June, Santos announced Neymar's contract renewal until the end of the year. On his first match after the renewal, he scored the winner in a 1–0 home success over Flamengo on 16 July.
2025: Neymar's Return to Santos
In January 2025, Neymar returned to Santos.
2025: Neymar Extends Contract with PSG Until 2025
On 8 May 2025, Neymar extended his contract with PSG, stating his ambition to win the Champions League with the club.
January 2026: Neymar extends contract with Santos
On 6 January 2026, Neymar extended his contract with the club until the end of the year.
2026: Neymar returning to Santos to regain top form ahead of the 2026 World Cup
One of the reasons for Neymar returning to Santos was to regain top form ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
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