Happy Birthday Neymar: Career highlights of the Brazilian football star
As Brazilian football star Neymar Jr celebrates his 33rd birthday today, he present you the career-highlights of the former Barcelona star so far in his career.
Neymar Jr., the top scorer for Brazil in international football is celebrating his 33rd birthday today. The Brazilian star made a grand return to his boyhood club Santos recently and will continue to showcase his magic on the field for the fans.
On his birthday, here are all the achievements of Neymar Jr. so far in his career -
Neymar Jr. Career Achievements Summary
Individual Awards
2× South American Footballer of the Year (2011, 2012)
1× FIFA Puskás Award (2011)
1× Footballer of the Year (Brazil) (2011)
2× Player of the Tournament (Copa América 2021, Confederations Cup 2013)
FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers: Brazil's squad announced, Neymar and Oscar named in the squad
Brazil's FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers squad has been announced, and Neymar and Oscar have been called for the qualifiers. This article provides the full squad details.
This list includes former Barcelona forward Neymar Jr. and former Chelsea forward Oscar, both of whom are returning to the national team after a long time.
Next week, Brazil national team's head coach Dorival Junior will announce the final squad of 23 players.
Many Players have experienced taking the UEFA Champions League match ball home. But few have done it multiple times. Listening to the UEFA Champions League anthem on the pitch while being in the starting lineup is the dream of every other kid football fan. But among the dreamers, few players go on to make further history in the game.
Players who leave a lasting impression through their quality, be it defending, goalkeeping, or even scoring goals. In this article, we will have a look at the players with the most hat-tricks in the UEFA Champions League history.
RANK
PLAYERS
HAT-TRICKS
CLUBS
1
Cristiano Ronaldo
8
Real Madrid (7), Juventus (1)
2
Lionel Messi
8
FC Barcelona (8)
3
Robert Lewandowski
6
Borussia Dortmund (1), Bayern Munich (4), FC Barcelona (1)
4
Karim Benzema
4
Real Madrid (1)
5
Luiz Adriano
3
Shakhtar Donetsk (3)
6
Mario Gomez
3
Bayern Munich (3)
7
Filippo Inzaghi
3
Juventus (2), AC Milan (1)
8
Neymar Junior
3
FC Barcelona (1), Paris Saint-Germain (2)
9
Kylian Mbappe
3
Paris Saint-Germain (2), Real Madrid (1)
10
Harry Kane
2
Tottenham Hotspurs (1), FC Bayern Munich (1)
10. Harry Kane| 2 Hat-tricks| Tottenham Hotspurs & Bayern Munich:
First Hat-trick | Tottenham Hotspurs:
On 26th September 2017, Harry Kane hit his first hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League against APOEL FC, Tottenham Hotspurs won that match 3-0 in the group stage and Kane finished the group stage joint second in the top scorers chart with six goals.
Second Hat-trick | FC Bayern Munich:
On 18th September 2024, Harry Kane hit his second hat-trick against Dinamo Zagreb in the UEFA Champions League. Kane scored 4 goals and Bayern Munich won that match 9-2 at Allianz Arena in Munich.
9. Kylian Mbappe | 3 Hat-tricks | Paris Saint-Germain & Real Madrid:
On 17 February 2017, Kylian Mbappe scored his second UEFA Champions League Round of 16 hat-tricks against the mighty FC Barcelona in Parc des Princes. Mbappe scored 3 goals and Moises Keane scored the last goal against Barcelona and they won 4-1 against the Blaugranes.
8. Neymar Jr. | 3 Hat-tricks | FC Barcelona & Paris Saint-Germain:
First Hat-trick | FC Barcelona:
On December 11, 2013, Neymar Jr. scored his first-ever hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League at Camp Nou in Spain. In that Lionel Messi was injured, but Neymar stepped up and scored a hat-trick against Celtic FC and FC Barcelona triumphed over a dominant 6-1 win against Celtic FC.
Filippo Inzaghi scored his first UEFA Champions League hat-trick against Dynamo Kyiv. Filippo Inzaghi became the first Juventus player to score a UEFA Champions League hat-trick when he found the back of the net on three occasions against Dynamo Kyiv in March 1998. Juventus won that match with a comfortable 4-1 scoreline.
Second Hat-trick | Juventus:
On 13 September 2000, Filippo Inzaghi netted his first UEFA Champions League hat-trick against Hamburg. Filippo Inzaghi's hat-trick rescued Juventus as an astonishing Champions League match against Hamburg finished 4-4 in Germany. Juventus led 3-1 at one stage before falling 4-3 behind and it needed a late penalty from Inzaghi to rescue a point.
Third Hat-trick | AC Milan:
The former Italian international scored his third UEFA Champions League hat-trick in his iconic AC Milan Jersey against Deportivo La Coruna. With the help of his hat-trick AC Milan won with a comfortable 4-0 scoreline in the 2002-03 season.
6. Mario Gomez | 3 Hat-tricks | FC Bayern Munich:
Mario Gomez bagged 3 UCL hat-tricks for Bayern Munich | Bayern Munich
Mario Gomez scored his first UEFA Champions League hat-trick against the Romanian side CFR Cluj in November 2010. Almost a year to the day later, the German forward scored a match-winning hat-trick against Napoli to seal a 3-2 win.
Luiz Adriano had registered his first UEFA Champions League hat-trick two years prior when he netted three times in Shakhtar's 5-2 win over Danish side Nordsjaelland in November 2012. Luiz Adriano netted his second UEFA Champions League hat-trick against BATE Borisov in the 2014 season. The Brazilian recorded his third hat-trick against BATE as he inspired Shakhtar to a 5-0 win.
The Frenchman would wait five years for his second as he scored three times in an 8-0 win over Malmo, scoring three against PSG in March 2022, Benzema recorded his fourth UEFA Champions League hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Chelsea in April that year.
The Polish forward had already agreed on terms with Bayern at that point and Lewandowski recorded four hat-tricks for the German giants when opposing Dinamo Zagreb, Red Star Belgrade, Benfica, and lastly Red Bull Salzburg.
The former Barcelona legend scored other six UEFA Champions League hat-tricks against Ajax, APOEL Nicosia, Celtic, Manchester City, and PSV Eindhoven, a record equaled by Cristiano Ronaldo just six months later.
1. Cristiano Ronaldo | 8 Hat-tricks | Real Madrid & Juventus:
Although the most memorable one came against Atlético de Madrid the second time. This time in the colors of Juventus. Juventus progressed 3-2 on aggregate to reach the quarterfinals.
Neymar Jr. was at his best again when he scored an Olympico goal for Santos against against Inter de Limeira in the Paulista Série A1. The Brazilian legend scored once and assisted twice within first half as Santos won the match by 3-0.
An Olympico goal gets scored when the a direct corner gets converted into a goal. Neymar's inswinging corner defeated and outfoxed the goalkeeper and went straight in after hitting the crossbar.
Neymar, known for his outstanding skill on the football field, rejoined Santos after a not-so-great spell at Al-Hilal, where he spent most of his time being injured. After regaining full fitness, Neymar was seen at his best.
In his away fixture for Santos, Neymar was getting boowed by the Inter de Limeira fans as he went to take the corner. He then sent an insiwinging corner to silence the crowd and taunted them by a cold celebration.
From Santos to the World: Neymar's Journey is football's greatest "Could Have Been"
In this article, we will explore the journey of Brazilian star Neymar Jr., who was destined to be one of the greatest footballers ever but remained as football's greatest "Could Have Been."
Neymar Jr.and Al-Hilalhave mutually parted ways, as the Saudi Arabian side announced yesterday issuing a statement that "Al-Hilal Club Company and Neymar Jr. have agreed to terminate their contractual relationship by mutual consent."
Neymar has also posted an emotional message to the Al-Hilal fans and the club on his socials, thanking them for the memories in Saudi Arabia.
To everyone at Al Hilal, to the fans, Thank you !! I gave everything to play and I wish we enjoyed better times on the pitch together .. To Saudi, thank you for giving me and my family a new home and new experiences I now know the real Saudi and have friends for life I always… pic.twitter.com/NgeoUjZk1D
The 32-year-old Brazilian is reportedly set for a sensational homecoming to Santos FC, where he spent his boyhood and became a household name during his early days before entering a rollercoaster ride in European football.
Neymar is often regarded as one of the greatest players who could not live up to their potential. He is also widely debated as the greatest footballer who never won a Ballon d'Or. Now, Neymar's reported homecoming to the roots is making fans teary and also leaving them in despair, is he the football's greatest "Could Have Been"?
The ascendence to glory and gloom: Neymar's journey from Santos to European football
Neymar in Santos, 2012.
The little boy who started to nurture his footballing skills in the streets of São Paulo caught the attention of the scouts from the renowned Brazilian football club Santos FC. It was in 2003 when Neymar Da Silva Santos Jr., aged only 11, entered the Santos Academy's premises as the new inductee to the youth team.
Cut to the year 2009. After showcasing his immense technical ability, and pure Brazilian-style of footballing skills across the youth ranks of Santos, Neymar earned his debut for theSantos senior team at the age of only 17.
Over the next four years, Neymar Jr. bagged an impressive tally of 136 goals and 64 assists in 225 appearances across all competitions. The young Brazilian played an integral part in Santos' victorious 2010-11 Copa Libertadores campaign and in winning the 2010 Brazilian Cup as well.
Neymar Jr. stormed into the headlines of football discussions worldwide, regarding him as the heir of the likes of Kaka and Ronaldinho in the Brazil national team. He was also named the 2012 South American Footballer of the Year, solidifying his stature as the most promising talent at that time.
However, it was in 2011 when the top European clubs started monitoring him closely. Spanish giants Real Madrid and English side Chelseahad a strong interest in signing Neymar in the upcoming days. But it was FC Barcelona who secured the signing of Neymar in 2013, paying a mammoth transfer package of €88 million to Santos.
Neymar's move to Barca was no less controversial, as revealed by football writers Alex Duff and Tariq Panja. In their book "Football’s Secret Trade", they revealed the thrilling backstory of Neymar's signing for Barcelona.
Although Real Madrid seemed to be Neymar's most likely destination to commence his European career, the Brazilian himself signed a pre-contract agreement with Barcelona to join them in the upcoming transfer window. Even his club Santos was kept in darkness about the agreement.
🇧🇷⭐️ 11 YEARS AGO TODAY: Neymar Jr was presented officially as a Barcelona player infront of 50,000+ people.
However, as the curtain was finally up, Neymar was officially presented to the fans in a jam-packed Camp Nou on June 3rd, 2013. The Brazilian was paired up with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, forming one of the greatest trios in football history, the 'MSN'.
Neymar played a huge part in Barcelona's UEFA Champions League winning campaign in 2014-15, scoring the highest season tally of 10 goals along with scoring the insurance goal in the final. That season, Neymar played a prominent part in Barcelona's treble-winning run as well, quoting himself as one of the best footballers at that moment.
The MSN trio also ended the season with a staggering 122 goals, the most in a season for an attacking trio in Spanish football history. Neymar registered 39 goals across all competitions.
MSN: Messi, Suarez and Neymar. (Image Credit | Eurosport)
However, the four years he played for Barcelona brought him plenty of personal honours and team accolades, but Neymar did not come close to winning the Ballon d'Or. After finishing in seventh place in 2014 and third place in 2015, Neymar did not have much to contest in the winner's debate.
La Remontada and the pathway to exit
Neymar in the Remontada game in 2017. (Image Credit | Eurosport)
Barcelona's historic 6-1 victory against Paris Saint-Germain in the UCL 2016-17 pre-quarterfinal second leg, which was termed as 'La Remontada', fuelled the fire of Neymar leaving Barcelona. After losing the first leg by 0-4 against the French opponent, Neymar made a comment that ignited the hope of the Barca fans.
Neymar wrote, "As long as there’s a 1% chance, we’ll have 99% faith" on his socials following the 0-4 crushing in Paris. The Brazilian went on to keep his word, orchestrating the Barcelona attacks for the whole game while also scoring two goals and providing one assist to the sixth goal that won Barcelona the game.
🚨🚨 ¡OJO! NEYMAR, sobre la REMONTADA del BARÇA al PSG en 2017: "Lo RECORDARÉ el RESTO de MI VIDA". pic.twitter.com/HV0oO5ejG6
However, even after Neymar rescued the team from a distressing situation, it was an iconic image of Lionel Messi leaping with the fans that made the headlines as well became the image of the game. Since this time, Neymar reportedly felt the urge to get out of the stature of Lionel Messi.
Neymar's decision to leave Barcelona and join Paris Saint-Germain was not only driven by his desire to emerge from Messi's shadow but also to embrace the opportunity to shine as the sole star player, bolstering his path to winning the Ballon d'Or.
PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Neymar in 2017. (Image Credit | the Guardian)
PSG completed a huge €222 million transfer to rope in Neymar, marking this as the most expensive transfer of all time to date. Although the relationship between him and Barcelona fans was damaged after his unexpected transfer to PSG, Neymar took the center-stage at the French club, leading the side from the front.
However, what was naturally expected to be a cakewalk; turned into a rocky road for Neymar. Frequent injuries and several legal scrutinies made his stint at the Parisian club full of ups and downs. He accumulated 77 goals and 49 assists in 173 matches for PSG, but only came close to winning the Champions League in 2020, but lost to Bayern Munich in the final.
Sadly, after leaving Barcelona, Neymar never made it to the Ballon d'Or top ten, let alone winning it. His brawls with his PSG teammates from time to time made his stay at PSG tumultuous, and he ultimately failed to justify the price tag. Across his six-year stint at PSG, Neymar missed 119 games in total due to injuries.
Although he rejoined Lionel Messi at PSG in 2021 and formed the trident of MNM along with another superstar, Kylian Mbappe, the trio also failed to live up to the expectations.
The relationship between Neymar, PSG, and PSG fans completely broke down after he suffered another injury in March 2023 as the supporters demanded the departure of Neymar in various on-street protests.
❗️Understand that #Neymar is on the sale‘s list of #PSG this summer. It’s a question of the price now as @PSG_inside is prepared for his departure.
➡️ Ramos deal done soon ✔️ ➡️ Kolo Muani & Dembele, PSG ist pushing for both players!
Neymar's official Al-Hilal presentation. (Image Credit | X)
PSG management finally ran out of patience and decided to sell Neymar in August 2023, informing him that he was not in the overhaul plan for them.
Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal paid a lucrative two-year contract to the Brazilian as he signed for them on a transfer fee of €90 million, making him the most expensive purchase in theSaudi Pro League.
Just two months after signing, he suffered a devastating ACL injury while representing Brazil in a World Cup qualifier. After several months of recovery, he returned to action in late 2024 but was quickly sidelined again due to a hamstring injury.
Overall, he made only seven appearances for the Saudi club, scoring just once in an AFC Champions League match against Nassaji Mazandaran. These injuries, combined with fitness concerns, led to mutual frustration as Al-Hilal have officially announced the termination of the contract after almost two years after the star signing.
Neymar has reportedly agreed to a significant salary reduction to join Santos, forfeiting approximately €62 million in remaining wages.
🚨💣 Neymar Jr back to Santos, story confirmed and HERE WE GO! ⚪️⚫️🇧🇷
Al Hilal have terminated Ney’s contract with immediate effect as the Brazilian will now travel for medical and sign in as new Santos player.
What could have been a storied career, drifted into a career studded with unexpected ups and downs, frequent injury concerns, and devastating failures. The question still lingers for football fans, what if Neymar had not left Barcelona or taken his decisions otherwise?
Neymar Jr, the 32-year-old man, is returning to his roots with the tag that will surely pain him for a lifetime that he is the greatest footballer who failed to fully capitalize on his immense potential. He still has a significant time left for his upcoming club and the Brazil national team to turn the tables, but the years have termed him as football's greatest "Could Have Been."
Transfer News: Neymar back to Santos? Looks like a homecoming!
Brazilian superstar Neymar Jr. has reportedly reached a verbal agreement with his boyhood club, Santos, to make an emotional homecoming come true in the coming days.
Neymar Jr.is reportedly all set to make a sensational return to his boyhood clubSantos this month, terminating the contract with his current club Al-Hilal.
According to a report from renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano, the verbal agreement between Neymar and Santos is already through, and the deal is imminent to be finalized.
Neymar's current club Al-Hilal is expected to pen the deal with Santos in the coming days, as Neymar is fully asserted to the move.
🚨🇧🇷 BREAKING: Neymar’s return to Santos now imminent as verbal agreement has been reached.
Formal steps to follow next week for final formula of the deal from Al Hilal and contracts to be checked.
Following a long-going feud with Paris Saint-Germain, Neymar left the French side in August 2023 to join the Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Hilal on a huge two-year contract worth €90 million.
However, his spell in the Arabian Gulf has not been a cakewalk, as he frequently suffered injuries. Neymar had the biggest blow in October 2023, suffering an ACL tear which left him out of the following AFC Champions League campaign.
Neymar came back to play for Al-Hilal after almost a year in October 2024. Although he had some game-time at first, in the very next game, Neymar suffered another hamstring injury, sidelining him for the remainder of the year.
Al-Hilal head coach Jorge Jesus stated his concerns about Neymar just a week ago, on 17 January 2025.
He is a player who leaves no doubt, a world-class player. But the truth is that physically, Neymar can no longer play at the level we are used to. Things have become difficult for him, unfortunately.
Al-Hilal management is not keen to pen down a new deal with Neymar due to his injury woes, as it opened a door for an emotional return to his roots.
Neymar played in the youth ranks of Santos from 2003 to 2009, marking his stature as one of the biggest emerging talents coming out of Brazil.
Representing the Santos senior teamfrom 2009 to 2013, Neymar accumulated 136 goals and 64 assists in 225 matches across all competitions.
However, his most significant period in European football was spent playing for FC Barcelona from 2013 to 2017, with 105 goals and 76 assists in 186 matches, clinching two LaLigas and the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League.
Can Neymar compete for the national team selection?
Brazil National team's head coach Dorival Júnior has significantly prioritized picking players from the Brazilian football divisions since his tenure began.
Over the last two years, Neymar has made very less appearances for the national team, leaving him uncertain about his future with Brazil. He was also dropped out of the squad for the friendlies in September 2024. Since the 2022 World Cup, Neymar has only played 20 games collectively for his club and country.
With the 2026 World Cup at stake which is only half-a-year away, it will be thrilling for the fans to see if Neymar can enter the national team roster. However, Dorival Júnior stated back in November 2024, that he is closely monitoring Neymar's progress.
🚨🇧🇷 Brazil head coach Dorival Jr: “I can confirm that Neymar made himself available to be here with, but having played little minutes since the injury we respect the decision of his club”.
“We will be ready for his return in the next call up where he will be ready”. pic.twitter.com/KeY255L46l
Neymar has been sensational for Brazil, bagging 79 goals and 59 assists in 128 appearances including friendlies. However, he has not yet acquired the World Cup glory and the Samba fans will surely want to witness him for one probable last time in the Seleção shirt.
Neymar's return to Santos and the Brazilian league football will benefit the forward only if he manages to recover from his injury spree and earn significant game-time to compete against the present core of the national team.
There is another obstacle for Neymar, which may be worrying; Santos is currently playing in Serie B after being relegated last season. However, Santos is topping the Serie B leaderboard and will be promoted to the premier division.
Dorival Júnior has plenty of options for the forward berths, but would it be risky to leave Neymar out of the squad for a tournament such as the World Cup? Honestly, we don't know.
Neymar in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers:
8 Games 7 Goals🥈 7 Assists🥇 14 Goal involvements🥇 29 Key passes🥇 9 Big chances created🥇 107 Duels won🥇 53 Dribbles🥇 42 Times fouled🥇 2 Penalties won🥇
In the past, we have witnessed Neymar struggling for his club but he has always delivered his best with the national team. Brazil's runner-up finish in the 2020 Copa America or the quarter-final finish in the 2022 World Cup; Neymar always gave his sweat and blood for the Seleção shirt.
Significantly, both of these times he had to suffer frequent injuries while playing for his then-club PSG.
Neymar will return to his boyhood club and a more familiar environment. Will the comfort zone bring out the beast in the greatest modern-day Brazilian footballer? Only time can tell.
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