Neymar's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A success timeline featuring the most significant achievements of Neymar.

Neymar Júnior is a Brazilian professional footballer renowned for his exceptional dribbling, technical skills, playmaking, and finishing abilities. He currently plays for Santos and captains the Brazil national team. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, Neymar is among the few players to have scored 100 goals for three different clubs. He is Brazil's all-time top goalscorer and assist provider in the UEFA Champions League, ranks second among South American men's top international goalscorers, and was formerly the all-time top assist provider in international football. He boasts over 400 career goals and 250 assists.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

2006: Kaká tops the Champions League scoring list

On June 6, Neymar scored in the Champions League Final, securing Barcelona's victory. This made Barcelona the first club to twice win the treble. Neymar became the eighth player to win both the Copa Libertadores and the UEFA Champions League, and the first to score in final victories in both competitions. Neymar ended the season with 39 goals and was joint highest scorer in the Champions League. He was the first player apart from Messi and Ronaldo to top the competition's scoring list since Kaká in 2006–07. The attacking trio of Messi, Luis Suárez and Neymar, dubbed MSN, ended with 122 goals, the most in a season for an attacking trio in Spanish football history.

December 2010: South American Footballer of the Year Nomination

In December 2010, at the age of 18, Neymar came third for the 2010 South American Footballer of the Year.

2010: Rapid Development and Campeonato Paulista Champion

In 2010, Neymar continued his rapid development, and the club were crowned champions of the 2010 Campeonato Paulista, after which Neymar was given the award for best player.

2010: Ballon d'Or nomination

In 2010, Neymar was nominated for Ballon d'Or.

July 2011: First Goals of Campeonato Brasileiro

On 27 July 2011, Neymar scored his first goals of that year's Campeonato Brasileiro, scoring two goals in a thrilling match against Ronaldinho's Flamengo. His first goal later won the 2011 FIFA Puskás Award.

2011: IFFHS CONMEBOL

Earlier on in the year, IFFHS ranked Neymar in second place behind Messi for their CONMEBOL The Best Man Player of the Decade (2011–2020) award.

2011: FIFA Ballon d'Or Nomination

Early in 2012, Neymar finished 10th in the 2011 FIFA Ballon d'Or rankings.

2011: Campeonato Paulista and Copa Libertadores Wins

In 2011, Neymar scored crucial goals during the season. He scored the only goal of the quarterfinals matchup against Ponte Preta, and scored the winning goal in the second leg of the finals against Corinthians to help his club clinch back-to-back state titles. He also scored six goals during Santos' run to the 2011 Copa Libertadores Finals, winning Man of the Match honors and bringing Santos their first Copa Libertadores triumph since 1963.

2011: Copa Libertadores Win with Santos

In 2011, Neymar won the Copa Libertadores with Santos, scoring in the finals.

2011: Neymar's Puskas Award Goal

Neymar scored the FIFA Puskás Award for Goal of the Year for his performance for Santos against Flamengo in 2011.

2011: South American Footballer of the Year

On 31 December, Neymar won the 2011 South American Footballer of the Year award for the first time, by a record margin.

February 2012: 100th Professional Goal

On 5 February 2012, when he turned 20, Neymar scored his 100th goal as a professional football player, against Palmeiras in the Campeonato Paulista.

2012: Neymar ranked 13th richest player by France Football

In 2012, France Football ranked Neymar 13th in its list of the world's richest players, with total earnings of $18.8 million for the previous 12 months.

2012: Olympic Silver Medal

In 2012, Neymar helped Brazil reach the final at the Summer Olympics in men's football, receiving the Olympic silver medal.

2012: Campeonato Paulista Champion and Copa Libertadores

In 2012, Neymar scored twice in both legs of the Campeonato Paulista Finals against Guarani, finishing with 20 goals and being voted Best Player and Best Forward. He was also joint top scorer in the Copa Libertadores, where Santos were beaten in the semi-finals.

February 2013: Neymar appears on Time magazine cover

In February 2013, Neymar appeared on the cover of Time magazine, becoming the first Brazilian athlete to do so.

May 2013: Neymar named most marketable athlete by SportsPro

In May 2013, Neymar was named by SportsPro magazine as the most marketable athlete in the world, ahead of Messi and Ronaldo. Also in May 2013, Neymar launched the Nike Hypervenom football boot.

May 2013: Neymar named most marketable athlete by SportsPro for second year

In May 2013, SportsPro magazine named Neymar as the most marketable athlete on the planet for the second consecutive year.

2013: Neymar's Debut and Supercopa de España Win with Barcelona

During the opening game of the 2013–14 La Liga season, Neymar made his La Liga debut for Barcelona as a substitute on August 21, 2013. Later, in the Supercopa de España against Atlético Madrid, he scored his first goal for the club, securing the trophy for Barcelona due to the away goal rule.

2013: Golden Ball Award at 2013 Confederations Cup

In 2013, Neymar had outstanding performances in the Confederations Cup, scoring in multiple matches including the final against Spain. He received the Golden Ball award for being the tournament's best player and finished fifth in the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or rankings.

October 2014: Neymar scores four goals against Japan

In October 2014, Neymar, now captain, scored four goals in a friendly match against Japan in Singapore. By this time, at 22 years old, he had scored 40 goals in 58 international appearances, becoming the fifth-highest goalscorer for Brazil.

2014: Expected to win the Ballon d'Or

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: Treble Win with Barcelona

In 2014, Neymar won the treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League with Barcelona, and he finished as the top goalscorer of that season's Champions League and the Copa del Rey.

2014: FIFA World Cup Dream Team and Bronze Boot

In 2014, at the FIFA World Cup, Neymar was named in the Dream Team and received the Bronze Boot.

2014: Neymar scores four goals against Rayo Vallecano

On October 17, 2015, Neymar scored four goals in Barcelona's 5-2 win over Rayo Vallecano. On November 8, he scored a stunning goal against Villarreal. On November 21, he scored one and assisted another in a win against Real Madrid. He scored twice against Real Sociedad on November 28. Several media outlets praised Neymar as elevating to the same level of Messi and Ronaldo and being shortlisted for the 2015 FIFA Ballon d'Or, where he came in third place.

March 2015: Neymar has the fourth highest social media rank

In March 2015, Neymar had the fourth highest social media rank in the world among sportspeople, behind Ronaldo, Messi and David Beckham, with 52 million Facebook fans.

2015: Barcelona Wins Copa del Rey final with Neymar scoring

After securing the league title on May 17 with a 1–0 win over Atlético Madrid, Barcelona defeated Athletic Bilbao 3–1 at Camp Nou in the 2015 Copa del Rey Final on May 30, with Neymar scoring the second goal for Barça. With Barcelona's victory likely, he performed tricks with the ball in the final stages of the game, which was deemed unsporting by opponent Andoni Iraola. Barcelona manager Luis Enrique claimed that it had to be understood that such behaviour was acceptable in Brazil, while Neymar himself did not apologise.

2015: Ballon d'Or finish

In 2015, Neymar finished third for the Ballon d'Or.

2015: Neymar's performance in Copa del Rey and Champions League

In 2015, Neymar scored twice in Barcelona's Copa del Rey semi-final win over Villarreal on March 4. On April 21, he scored twice in a Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain. In May, he scored against Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-final and against Real Sociedad in a league match, helping Barcelona win the league title.

2015: Neymar scores four goals against Rayo Vallecano

May 2016: Neymar scores in Copa del Rey Final

On May 22, 2016, Neymar scored in Barcelona's Copa del Rey Final win over Sevilla, securing the domestic double. The attacking trio of Messi, Suárez, and Neymar finished the season with 131 goals, breaking their previous record. Neymar reached over 30 goals for the second consecutive season, scoring 31 and getting 25 assists.

2016: Olympic Gold Medal

In 2016, Neymar captained Brazil to their first Olympic gold medal in men's football.

2016: Neymar ranked fourth most famous athlete by ESPN

In 2016, Neymar was ranked the fourth most famous athlete in the world by ESPN.

March 2017: Key role in La Remontada

In March 2017, Neymar played a crucial role in Barcelona's 6-1 victory over PSG in the Champions League round of 16, widely known as La Remontada. He scored a free-kick and a penalty, and also provided the assist for Sergi Roberto's winning goal, being named man of the match on March 8, 2017.

April 2017: Neymar included in Time 100

In April 2017, Neymar was included in the Time 100, Time magazine's list of the most influential people in the world.

2017: Neymar should have won all the Ballon d’Ors from 2017 onwards

Former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe claimed that Neymar should have won all the Ballon d’Ors from 2017 onwards.

2017: Ballon d'Or finish

In 2017, Neymar finished third for the Ballon d'Or.

2017: Scoring milestones and Copa del Rey win

In 2017, Neymar surpassed Ronaldinho's goal tally for Barcelona, scoring his 95th goal in 169 matches on February 11. He also scored his 100th goal for Barcelona on April 2, and secured his first away hat-trick on May 15. On May 27, Neymar scored in the Copa del Rey Final as Barcelona defeated Alavés 3-1.

January 2018: Four goals and two assists vs Dijon

In January 2018, Neymar delivered a standout performance, scoring four goals and providing two assists in an 8-0 victory against Dijon on January 17. He became only the second player to receive a 10 rating from L'Equipe for a league match.

August 2018: PSG's Opening League Goal and Subsequent Wins

In August 2018, Neymar scored PSG's opening league goal of the 2018-19 season in a 3–0 win over Caen. He then scored from a penalty in a 3–1 victory against Guingamp in Ligue 1. Later in August 2018, Neymar, Mbappé, and Cavani each scored in a 3–1 win over Angers.

2018: Neymar ranked third highest-paid footballer by France Football

In 2018, France Football ranked Neymar the third highest-paid footballer in the world, earning a total income for €81.5m ($95m) for the year.

2019: Skipped Ligue 1 awards and Ballon d'Or nomination absence

At the end of the 2018-2019 season, Neymar skipped Ligue 1's end-of-season awards ceremony to party with singer Rihanna, causing Mbappé to demand more responsibility within the PSG squad. In 2019, Neymar was not nominated for the Ballon d'Or for the first time since 2010 due to injuries and off-field issues.

2019: Neymar ranked third highest-paid athlete by Forbes

In 2019, Forbes ranked Neymar the world's third-highest-paid athlete with earnings of $105 million for the year.

2019: Neymar appears in The Making Of series

In 2019, Neymar appeared in DAZN's The Making Of series, recounting his performance for Santos against Flamengo in 2011 when he scored that year's FIFA Puskás Award. Also in 2019, the film Neymar and the Line of King which covers Neymar's journey in becoming one of Brazil's top players was released.

2019: Neymar ranked fourth most famous athlete by ESPN again

In 2019, Neymar was again ranked the world's fourth most famous athlete by ESPN.

2019: Best Brazilian player post-Pelé

In 2019, Neymar was named the best Brazilian player post-Pelé by Placar, a Brazilian sports magazine.

2019: Return to PSG and Scoring Game-Winning Goals

In 2019, after transfer speculation, Neymar returned to play for PSG. On September 14, 2019, he scored a bicycle kick to win 1-0 against Strasbourg, and on September 21, 2019, he scored a late winner in a 1-0 victory against Lyon. In October 2019, he suffered a hamstring injury. On November 26, 2019, he returned to play against Real Madrid.

July 2020: Coupe de France and Coupe de la Ligue Victories

In July 2020, Neymar scored in PSG's 1–0 win over Saint-Étienne in the Coupe de France Final, winning his second title. On July 31, 2020, PSG won the Coupe de la Ligue Final against Lyon, completing a domestic treble. Neymar netted one of the penalties in the shoot-out.

October 2020: Hat-trick against Peru and surpasses Ronaldo

In October 2020, Neymar scored a hat-trick in a World Cup qualifier against Peru, surpassing Ronaldo as Brazil's second-highest goalscorer of all time with 64 international goals.

2020: Neymar ranked fourth highest-paid athlete by Forbes

In 2020, Forbes ranked Neymar the world's fourth highest-paid athlete with earnings of $95.5 million.

2020: IFFHS World’s Best Player

In 2020, IFFHS ranked Neymar in fourth place, behind Messi, Ronaldo, and Iniesta for their World’s Best Player of the Decade (2011–2020) award.

2020: IFFHS's CONMEBOL Award

In 2020, Neymar received the South American Footballer of the Year award and was runner-up for the IFFHS's CONMEBOL The Best Man Player of the Decade (2011–2020) award.

2020: COVID-19 Positive Test and Ligue 1 Goal Record

In 2020, Neymar tested positive for COVID-19, causing him to miss the first match of the season. On October 2, 2020, he scored his first two goals of the season against Angers, entering the top ten goalscorers in PSG history. On November 28, 2020, he scored his 50th goal in Ligue 1, becoming the fastest player to reach this milestone.

2020: UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award Nomination

In 2020, Neymar was nominated for the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award, finishing fourth, and was ranked third for the UEFA Forward of the Season. Some journalists debated whether Neymar outshone Lewandowski as the best player of 2020. By the end of his third season with PSG, he had 70 goals and 45 assists in 85 matches.

January 2021: Trophée des Champions Victory and Adductor Injury

On January 13, 2021, Neymar scored the winning goal from a penalty in a 2–1 win over Marseille in the Trophée des Champions. On February 10, 2021, he sustained a left adductor injury in a cup win over Caen, ruling him out for four weeks.

June 2021: Player of the Tournament at Copa América

In June 2021, during the Copa América, Neymar scored and assisted in multiple matches, helping Brazil reach the final. Despite losing to Argentina, he was named the player of the tournament alongside Messi.

September 2021: Brazil's all-time top scorer in FIFA World Cup qualification matches

In September 2021, Neymar became Brazil's all-time top scorer in FIFA World Cup qualification matches, with a total of 12 goals, after scoring in a win over Peru.

2021: Neymar ranked fourth highest-paid athlete by Forbes

In 2021, Forbes ranked Neymar the world's fourth highest-paid athlete with earnings of $95 million.

2021: Copa América Best Player

In 2021, Neymar was focal to Brazil's runners-up finish in the Copa América and was jointly awarded Best Player.

2021: Ninth Ballon d'Or Nomination

In 2021, Neymar was nominated for the Ballon d'Or for the ninth time, setting a record for a Brazilian player.

February 2022: Return from Injury

On February 15, 2022, Neymar returned from an ankle injury in a Champions League match against Real Madrid, assisting Mbappé's goal. On February 19, 2022, he made his return to league play against Nantes, scoring a goal and missing a penalty.

October 2022: Stand-out Player in Europe

By early October 2022, Neymar was considered a stand-out player in Europe. Manager Christophe Galtier praised Neymar for playing his best ever football in PSG.

2022: Goal against Peru

In 2022, Neymar scored against Peru, during a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier. Brazil won 4-2.

2022: Praised as the best player in the world

In 2022, Son Heung-min described Neymar as the best player in the world. Current and former players have praised Neymar as one of the greatest players of all time.

2022: Neymar ranked fourth highest-paid athlete by Sportico

In 2022, Sportico named Neymar the fourth highest-paid athlete.

September 2023: Brazil's all-time top goalscorer

In September 2023, Neymar became Brazil's all-time top goalscorer with his 78th and 79th goals in a match against Bolivia, surpassing Pelé's record. He stated that he never imagined reaching this milestone.

2023: Neymar ranked twelfth highest-paid athlete by Forbes

In 2023, Forbes ranked Neymar the world's twelfth highest-paid athlete with earnings of $85 million.

2023: Ballon d'Or Contender

In 2023, Neymar was considered one of the favourites to win the Ballon d'Or.

January 2024: Al Hilal deregisters Neymar

In January 2024, Al Hilal deregistered Neymar due to his season-ending ACL injury, freeing up a foreign roster spot for Renan Lodi. Despite playing only three league games, Neymar won his eighth career league title as Al Hilal secured the league title.

October 2024: Neymar returns to action, suffers hamstring injury and receives Player Career Award

On 21 October 2024, Neymar returned to the field for Al Hilal in an AFC Champions League match against Al Ain, marking his comeback after a lengthy absence. However, a few weeks later, he suffered a hamstring injury, sidelining him for the rest of the year. At the end of 2024, Neymar was named one of the winners of the Player Career Award at the Globe Soccer Awards.