Santos - Neymar - my story

First published in Great Britain in 2014 by
ARENA SPORT
An imprint of Birlinn Limited
West Newington House
10 Newington Road
Edinburgh
EH9 1QS

www.arenasportbooks.co.uk

Copyright 2013 by Universo dos Livros
Translation Felipe de Carvalho, 2014
Foreword and Epilogue Fernando Duarte, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-909715-26-4
eBook ISBN: 978-0-85790-830-8

First published in Brazil in 2013 by
Universo dos Livros Editora Ltda. as
Neymar: Conversa entre pai e filho

The right of Neymar Jr, Neymar Sr and Ivan Mor to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, mechanical or photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written permission of the publisher.

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available on request from the British Library.

Designed and typeset by Polaris Publishing, Edinburgh

Printed by Clays St Ives Plc

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

A COLD WEEKDAY AFTERNOON in Wroclaw, Poland, was made much less ordinary by the presence of the Brazilian national football team, who were in town for a friendly against Japan. It was October 2012 and the first time in over a year that Kaka, the last Brazilian player to win the Ballon dOr, had played for the Seleo (the moniker for the national team in Brazil). There were so many reasons for everybody, from journalists to autograph hunters, to keep their attention fixed firmly on that training session, which is why it is so remarkable that every spectators head turned towards the stands when a trim, middle-aged man emerged from the tunnel. Neutral observers would be excused if they thought the man suddenly surrounded by cameras and microphones was a former Brazil player.

But Neymar Srs footballing career never reached those heights. Instead, it is his role in bringing up his only son, named after him, that has made the man famous in Brazil. While the world of sport is full of stories of athletes parents becoming celebrities, Neymar Sr stood out for seeking to do the exact opposite, though he has never hidden his pride in helping his son become Brazilian footballs great new hope.

Anybody with even a minimal interest in the game these days knows about Neymar Jrs exploits. In the last four years he has become the reference point for the Seleo: top goal scorer, the poster boy for Nikes advertising campaigns, and the main threat obsessed about by opposition managers and players. What few people are aware of, however, is how instrumental his fathers guidance has been to his meteoric rise. And while Neymar Sr knew that his sons success could change the lives of a family struggling to make ends meet, he never put pressure on him, nor did he lose sight of the importance of forming the young mans character as well as developing his footballing skills.

When Neymar Jr was born, in February 1992, things were not going well for the family. Struggling to put food on the table, Neymar Sr was forced to move his wife, son and daughter, Rafaela, to a room at his parents house in So Vicente, a seaside town near Santos in the south of So Paulo state. With money extremely tight, one of the few luxuries the family could afford was the fee to join Tumiaru, a local and humble social club where Neymar Jr would spend hours kicking a ball.

When Neymar Jr was ten, he was offered a place at the youth academy at local club Portuguesa Santista. While many parents would have simply seized the opportunity for a cash injection, Neymar Sr realised that he had a chance to improve his childrens lives on another level. Thanks to contacts in the club, both Neymar Jr and Rafaela were awarded scholarships at one of the most prestigious private schools in Santos.

At the beginning of the 90s, one in five Brazilians over the age of 15 was illiterate, and studies conducted by the Brazilian Football Confederation showed that the bulk of professional players in Brazil had left school without any decent qualifications. What is even more striking is that statistics also showed that the majority of footballers in Brazil earned less than 1000 a month. Neymar Sr feared that his son might not make it as a professional player, so he was insistent that he worked hard on his education. As time would tell, Neymar Srs fears, although both wise and admirable, would prove unwarranted. Emerging at a time when clubs in Brazil and abroad were stepping up their pursuit of younger and younger talents to sign to their academies, Neymar Jrs talents were quickly recognised and offers started to roll in for more money than the family had ever seen. That was when Neymar Sr excelled again. First, he had the courage of his convictions to turn down a lucrative approach from Real Madrid when his son was 13, choosing instead to bet on Santos FCs long-established track record in player development. Then, he had the presence of mind not to spoil his son with luxuries despite the years of hardship they had endured.

As well as establishing limits on how much Neymar could spend every month, his father made a rule that treats could only be earned through performances on the pitch. To get his first car, for example, Neymar had to win the under-20 South American Championship with the Seleo in 2010. Even his earrings were the result of a bet with his father.

These tales are just a taste of what you will find in this book. Different from a great number of footballers biographies, this one focuses on a dialogue between a father and son. In several ways these two are inseparable and this book goes to great lengths to explain a relationship that has become a rarity in modern times, not just in the sports world.

Here, you will find stories of triumph and despair, some that were unknown even to Brazilians prior to the publication of this book such as the car accident that almost claimed an infant Neymar Jrs life. Most of all it sheds light on the genesis of a player whose success serves as model for younger players around the world. In a country where football still stands as an important way to escape the poverty trap, both Neymars have valuable lessons to teach.

Through this book you will come to understand that Neymar Jr might never have reached his current status without the care, attention and work of his father. The most interesting aspect of this relationship is that Neymar Jr has never tried to downplay the influence of his father. Where many other potentially outstanding Brazilian players have faltered and slipped into obscurity, Neymar Jrs family have proved to be a crucial source of support and one that the superstar footballer has never forgotten.

Even for people who are very familiar with Brazilian football, this book brings new insight into the transformation of a hopeful young boy into a global superstar. Still in his early twenties, Neymar Jr has just started his life in European football and most of his accolades have been won in Brazil. Important names around the world have fallen over themselves to sing his praises and predict great things for his career. Statistics alone will not explain to you why.

So enjoy reading as father and son open their hearts. As somebody who has met both of them on several occasions, I cannot recommend enough that you pay attention to what these two have to say.