The GOAT That Never Was: Neymar Jr. 

The fact he’s brazils all time top scorer, won a champions league among many other trophies and scored over 300 clubs goals and many still feel he didn’t reach his full potential shows the ability he had

"The prince who never became king" That quote really fits to describe him 100%

Dinho showed up drunk for practice, played half the games on a hangover, was benched the other half, barely scored 20 goals in two seasons, and won us absolutely nothing. Yet to this day he's still a fan favorite in Paris, and the most beloved footballer wherever he goes. There's just something off about Neymar's personality, and the image he projects.

I wouldn't say Neymar was a failure, but he definitely didn't live up to the potential and talent that he has! I remember watching him play against Scotland in a friendly, he must have been 17 or 18, and he looked like an absolute superstar!

I went to the World Cup in Brazil in 2014. It was insane how much pressure must have been on his shoulders! His face was literally everywhere you looked. On posters, bus stops, billboards, in pretty much every shop window... EVERYWHERE!!! We were watching the game where he injured his back in the fan park on copacabana beach, and when it happened the atmosphere in the entire country changed! People were crying all over the place, it was devastating! What could've been...

As a Barca fan I have watched Neymar a lot. And there is a myth that his prime was short it was long at least 7 seasons from his 2nd season at Barca to his 2nd season at PSG. In the MNS era he was 2nd best overall. He is undoubtedly great, if he was in the EPL he would be talked about as top 10 easily. The guy is a footballing genius that is dying out. Shouldn't have gone to PSG.

I remember an interview with Ronaldo about Neymar's early career. He was worried about his career as a young athlete, but when he talked with him he said he wasn't that worried because Neymar's first serious conversation with Ronaldo was him asking Ronaldo how to invest his money. Neymar's mind was always on money and in this case he was hyper focused and calculating even with any perceived baffling ego driven choices. In this aspect he is very successful. I don't think he cares much about criticisms of his career. All he cares would be his sister's opinion.

On an overall scale, Neymar must be happy with his career, but there were choices (like his move to PSG) and injuries which prevented him from being a tryly era-defining player. Playing at the same time as Messi and Ronaldo didn’t help 😅

"He played football with smile on his face, and other couldn't help but smile when they watched him" just sums up why Ronaldinho is so loved by football fans.

Neymar is like Ronaldinho and Maradona. They were born with studs on their feet. They have natural talent. They did not have to be brought up in one of the best youth academies in the world or be one of the most dedicated athletes in the world. Neymar would make experienced defenders cry like babies to the refs because he would toy with them...when he was 17.

Being a flairsy, technical player in Ligue 1 absolutely exacerbated his injury woes.

That closing line was the best summary of Neymar Jr. I have ever heard. How are major sports broadcasters so inadequate?

It’s just hilarious he left Barcelona to escape messi shadow yet he was shadowed by a 18 yr old mbappe real quick 😂

Quick correction: PSG reached the UCL final in 2020, not 2022.

On another note, there's perhaps a valid comparison to make between him and Wayne Rooney - two immensely talented attacking footballers with lots of self confidence (and ego) since young, who were intensely hyped since teenagers. Then they fall slightly short of the highest expectations of them, yet still have very impressive careers by overall world football standards

The 2002 Brazil team made hard work of qualifying for the World Cup without Ronaldo so the idea of them winning a World Cup was a formality with their talent isn't truthful. Romario who was past his prime was their joint top scorer in qualifying & was left at home.

You have players like Kante,Mane,Giroud and most notably Jamie Vardy who fight hard for their dreams,made sacrifices and came in clutch later in their career to achieve greatness And then you have players like Neymar who broke through very early but threw it all away for the rockstar life and moments of misfortune that really ruined his career

I grew up on Neymar and I'm not usually the guy to follow players like that but I've always loved him. Thought that period before Europe. I hate to see talent go to waste he really could have been the best with a little patience. I was hurt by the psg transfer. The trappings of pride.

we out here in seattle watching hitc sevens right when it drops. blessed.

I think the difference between neymar and Ronaldinho and how they're remembered is simply down to Ronaldinho always played with a smile, that subconsciously draws you to a player and makes you like them. Whilst Neymar was mostly seen on the floor.

One of my favorite players of all time. So sad he retired this year.

It's true that he didn't exactly 100% fulfill the potential stated of him when he was a young man, and yes there are even some very valid criticisms to make of him just as a person and with his behaviour. But honestly, given everything, he's comfortably one of the most accomplished players of the past 10-15 and still had a very successful career by normal standards. Not to mention, some of his haters don't quite understand a number of difficult things he had to go through in his life since young. Those are my two cents of him

Even if he never reached his full potential, he was still an immense player. 2014/2015 Barcelona was the greatest team I’ve ever seen lace them up.

When I see Neymar play for Brazil in the World Cup, he is usually the best player and Brazil is better with him. Sadly for Brazil he was the only World Class forward player, a far cry from 3 Rs in 2002 (Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo). Neymar I don't think as ever felt truly loved at big clubs, Barcelona had Messi and Neymar move had lots of legal issues, PSG broke the record for Neymar but the fans never took to him and Mbappe per shadowed him being French and a Parisian.

I still remember when Neymar was falling apart at the 2014 World Cup even before the injury that took him out of the tournament just prior to the 7-1 hiding Brazil took at the hands of the Germans. His path to failure to live up to his potential began with that tournament, if not slightly sooner in the qualifying rounds. But in mitigation, during that whole period leading up to the World Cup, he and the entire Brazil squad were under such intense, relentless pressure from the fans, the coaches, and the CBF to redeem the humiliation of 1950, that the team had psychiatrists traveling with them just to keep them from cracking up. I don't think he ever fully recovered from that.

I think it's an expectations game. Neymar Jr to my mind has never really seemed the same since the World Cup 2014, his body language seemed to change, his off the ball efforts completely seemed different. At PSG I think he disappointed but I think it is the stability in the team round him that was his biggest handicap. Sadly I think it has been the same issue at the World Cup stage in 2018 and 2022. I think determination has been the difference Ronaldo moved around when teams didn't suit him whilst Messi just tried to carry teams he played for. I think he was unlucky to come up against players whose focus and mentality matched their ability.

definitely one of your sadder videos. great stuff alfie!

I imagine the way brazilians view neymars career might be the way some english fans view rooneys, that he underacheived. Both were talismanic figures for their country yet both were robin more than batman. rooney played robin firstly to van nistelrooy and then ronaldo and when he was undisputed star player uniteds dominance was broken. Nemyar also was the robin to messi and then mbappe's batman. the talent those two possessed and the hype we built up around them means that despite all the accolades and statistics their careers are a little underwhelming. maybe if you simulated boths careers 5 times 4 times out of 5 they would have been even greater

Much of what you said here, and many of the players mentioned, would fit into a video I'd love to see you make, 'Is there such a thing as a wonder kid?' My answer would be no. Partly because of circumstances, injuries often, partly because players just develop at different ages. Bellingham at the moment is a good example, a great player, and will probably remain a great player, but he won't keep improving and improving as some pundits suggest. Sport doesn't work like that, as people peak and can only make very small gains after a while. Great vids always 👌

i feel such joy when i see your videos pop up on my feed

As football enthusiasts, we can agree he should not have left Barca. Period!

Nice discussion & video. 👍

Excellent video thoroughly enjoyed

This is an incredible video that really gives perspective 👏🏼

Thank you for all that you do. Listening to you has definitely made me change my opinion of this guy. The insight you provide is second to none. Keep it up please.

I wonder what would have happend with the narrative if Neymar at least won the CL final against Bayern. Then he would probably have a legacy of leading a club to greatness and it would overshadow most of the criticism. I also think that playing for PSG and not being a flawless professional is just pure gold for the press reporting negatively about him. He could probably have gotten away with most of of his antics if he still had good performances at Barcelona while always being the second fiddle to Messi. I mean, who wouldn't be. If you're still a great baller with success at a club like Barcelona, you'd still be a legend. People can tolerate you not being actually the next Pele, a lot of wonderkids turn out much worse and people know that. Maybe he wouldn't be as loved in Brazil but thats about it

As Robert De Niro once said: "The saddest thing in Life is wasted potential" Neymar had the potential to be one of the greatest football players ever, his lack of better judgement will always hold him back. What a shame

Very interesting as usual thank you xx

Another gorgeous documentary

You could make a similar video about Paul Pogba i mean if you're talking about players that never lived up to their potential Pogba is certainly near the top of the list

Again I love your video/information ❤

What a great and detail and honest video bro, he explained Neymar’s talent and career perfectly of course he may have been born in wrong era but that to me is also excuses when Messi and Ronaldo went away from Europa he could rule alongside haaland and mbappe, Neymar is just 31 and can easily have 5 years in him in top level in another club rather than alhilal or p$g, but many Brazil fell short after age of 30 of partying and injuries sadly but it’s all about mentality if Neymar had Ronaldo’s mentality he could have been up there alongside the goats no joke but now no he is a long way from their level of we look at the career and joy they have brought to the football scene.

This is bang on. Best luck scheming the newness.

Actually at 2005 Confed Cup Ronaldinho was absolutely perveived as Brazil's main man!

Great content always❤

Him not meeting his ultimate full potential, but he was definetly a great player... No doubt.

Would love to see this become a series from you, I could see Zlatan as a second video

Perfect. I wrote about this some years ago.

As always a brilliantly insightful and measured take. I also wonder whether part of the reason people don’t like Neymar as a person (and therefore assess his career more harshly) is his association with the transfer that a lot of people feel broke the transfer market?

Some of his injurys was questionable at best. He tended to get injured around the same time every year as his sisters birthday and needed to do rehab in bars all around the world with his sister

Some people don't realise how important he was to Barcelona. The man has won pretty much all there is, but you can't hold him to the Messi / Ronaldo popularity contest of the Ballon D'or.

For me, Neymar was the first wonderkid, watching highlights of him on RU-vid will Brazilian samba music as me and my classmate surrounds the PC at the school lab.

Great Video!

Great perspective. I wouldn't came to the same conclusion for myself. Thank you

I would compare Neymar Jr to Kevin Durant: Great players who gambled on themselves and became the face of a big money project team to get out of someone else's shadow (Messi/Curry), but the gamble didn't pay off.

Cheers from porto alegre mate

Very good...👍

neymar is one of the goats though, i remember when he first came out, watching his games as a kid was so inspiring and he was very talented, idc about statistics or goals or all that, football to me is the magic of moving around with the ball being stuck to your feet, goals are secondary

2:23 ha! Wasn't expecting my city (Porto Alegre) to pop up in a video about Neymar. Haha

Has still put up all time great numbers

"shaw"... Made me giggle

Despite being a Barca fan since 2008, I never hated or dislike Neymar, in fact, wished his success. It is disappointing to know that he left europe at just 31 without winning the UCL with PSG. He should have won more, in that context I would say he did not live up to expectations. Nevertheless, despite all of this, Neymar will always be remembered as the most skilful player (more than messi imo) of my generation and one of the best in the history.

Nobody forced him to leave Barca, he did it because of his narcissism, and thereby greatly diminished his career. He left a historical club, and teammates like Messi GOAT, Suarez, a Zidane-like player in Iniesta, and joined a club based on oil money. He was not in Messi's shadow, on the contrary, he was in the spotlight together with Messi. Neymar's character was the problem.

It's just that people love a great story of hardwork mixed with good personality when it comes appreciating sports personalities.

This video has slightly swayed my view on him thanks Alfie

Choices is what it falls down too

Santos fan here! And yeah... we still love neymar

Exceptional work yet again.

Imagine hearing about this great player at 15-16 years old from Brazil. How much hype & expectations would that create for the player? Imagine your club has signed prodigy, already said to be 1 of greatest ever from Brazil. What would you think about him? What would Fan’s think & expect? Add Media & Social Media….and pressure begins building on him! Oh plus already labeled the savior for National Team, after 10 games with 12+ goals, so whole nation sees him as next superstar. Even legend, to lead them back to winning World Cup & Copa Americà tournaments! Now has pressure of whole nation, which means much more in Brazil 🇧🇷! The next player to have these expectations put on him! Add everything else you can think of, the attention off-field is more then on it. On Front page of every paper about what he did. He goes out drinking one night: someone snaps pix & whole world knows what he’s drinking before he finishes drink! So the question I’m getting to is what’s his measure of success at your club? As a player & the team? What would happen if he did become everything he was said to be? And what if he was just a good player? I’m not talking about Neymar in this scenario! If Neymar is who you thought of, try to go back and don’t think of him !! Obviously it’s just to hopefully get others to understand what he’s dealt with from beginning of career. A hypothetical Example: Imagine Haaland only scored 7-8 goals & missed a Penalty to win game & PL title in 1st year at Man City. Then repeated it in 2nd season! 3rd year is when he will breakthrough, but City have bought 2 other good reliable strikers in summer window’s because they can’t afford to wait to rely on Haaland ! While still destined for Greatnes, but is sold As Man City as question of how long do they wait? Can’t waste Peps time there? Add the Business of Soccer/Football today & the answer can be 100 different scenarios! Maybe they sell Haaland to a mid-Table PL club who use all money they have while still worth 50-75 million for him? And that 3rd season in PL he does what was expected from him & takes Club Z to top 4 or does a Leicester & shocks world as club Z wins PL! ? Let’s say Luton, I know that’s crazy but just think & use imagination for a moment! 🤔Now back to value & sold for enough money to rebuild team/Stadium/ maybe even build new hospital for children!! I know I stretched this out to much, but the point is what’s the reality & future for a prodigy young player? And what if he doesn’t reach expectations by 21 years old? No wrong answer, as Im just trying to see how he’d be treated, trained, perceived, You can Reply, but really this is for all fans just to think about! Maybe Neymar did reach his potential but the pressure and expectations were just impossible for anyone to reach? Add playing with Messi a large part of his career!Plus all the Injuries, perceived attitude (whether true or not), followed like a celebrity, his dramatics on field/diving, and so much more that Alfie explains. Combine everything and what’s he accomplished in a subpar season is more then 95% of professional footballers ever will in a 15+ year career. The time missed due to injuries makes you wonder what numbers he would have for Barcelona & especially PSG to add to his career stats when he does retire from the game? I’m sure this will be debated forever!!

As a citizen of Porto Alegre it was a surprise to hear my city mentioned in a foreing video about a brazilian player from central Brazil lol When Rendenção Park was showed I was like WHAT?

Riddle wrapped inside an enigma is a great phrase, heard it from the movie JFK

7:27 Was that Daft Punk in the background?

I’m a lot less critical of him after learning from your other video about why so many Brazilians suffer burnout so early in their careers. By the age of 25 at PSG he’d already played more games than most European players do by the time they retire. He’d played over 200 games in Brazil by the age of 20 before he moved to Barca. That just doesn’t happen in Europe where a lot more care and attention is given to young players. Michael Owen being an exception and look what happened to him.

My father and me called him "the successor", even as Real Madrid fans. He was the next "Messi/CR7" and we had no doubt about it. Then he made the wrong move going to PSG.

Can you please do one about the current Ajax drama with their TD?

"The important ability in football is availability" what a line man❤. Loved it.

I appreciate the Porto Alegre reference 👏

The difference between the public perception of Ronaldihno and Neymar is that Ronaldinho is a nostalgic name from the childhood of people who now have access to social media which is a plague on sports and Neymar has none of the nostalgia in his favour and his career has been at the same time as the rise of social media

Globo and L'Equipe: Ex-PSG Doctor reveals (confirms as it was already a rumour) that Neymar was injured when he joined PSG in 2017 and had to make an operation, which PSG put off because of the huge transfer fee. He also says that Neymar always tried hard to recover, had a good diet and really wanted to succeed. PSG ruined his career. Messi, Suarez, Rodrygo, Vini, Brazil National Team coaches and president, and much more, most of the guys that know Neymar always said that he isn't like people think of him and that he's much different to that. PSG fans were just either angry because of the remontada, blaming him for the losses because their squad is shit and their doctors aren't curing him, or stupid of thinking that he wasn't commited just because he went to McDonalds with friend a single time in a year and because he plays poker which basically is a card game.

Could you please do a football tenable with LukePingu? Would love to see more of you and your ball knowledge

In fairness to Suarez, Messi, & Neymar, they might only be the 2nd-best attack in Barcelona's history. Lest we forget the 4-2-4 Barca ran on occassion in 2007-2008 with Ronaldinho, Henry, Eto'o, and Messi as their front 4. Add to that the midfield of Xavi-Iniesta & the ability to drop Ronaldinho to the bench to get prime Yaya Toure in as a CDM, and they were absolutely unplayable.

His legacy will probably fall between the cracks. Messi and Ronaldo defined this decada and a a half, Messi's Wc happened just months before City's Champions League with Haaland as the most prominent figure. Mbappe's WC happened right in the middle of Neymar's prime with very little from Neymar to remember. And we don't know what the youngster from this season will look like in a few years. Neymar's legacy sits uncomfortably between the previous and the next big thing.

This video helps to soften my stance towards Neymar. I'm still not a fan of him but I can dig deeper into a space of forgiveness for the flow of his career.

Changed my perception 😮

Is this a reupload? Or did another soccer channel upload this same video topic a few days ago ?

The lack of a WC as a homegrown ‘Next Pele’ is his royal👑 that was never coronated. As a Brazilian at those heights he basically had to win it or have truly memorable runs w/classic moments at least. If you lead national teams of that stature that’s the ultimate measuring stick against GOATs of the past that previously lifted their nations to glory. Neymar’s club wins are already legendary imo. Dare I say even CR7 & Messi breathed a sigh of relief when they won their Intl🏆 knowing it would’ve been the gaping hole in spite of their stellar club careers. I didn’t like Neymar’s persona but on balance I appreciated his uniquely dangerous flair in an era far too robotic for me.

change the title to the prince who never became king there’s still time alfie

U are the goated goat of football videos

“Most unpopular man in Catalonia since Franco” ah, touché. Nice.

19:02 feels incredibly unfair. Thiago Silva has done just as much for Brazil, if not more. All while being a positive role model for all around him.

Neymar, watched this cideo and is still rolling around on the pitch holding jis arm😂

The sheer number of different hair cuts and styles is just breathtaking

He is rich, what more can a man do. Neymar is not a failure, he doesn't play alone but he did what needed to be done, God protect Neymar, much love 💓

Neymar is case he shouldn't joined psg spell was his mixed with injuries.He was dominant era of messi and ronaldo.Very talented player things coudve been different if he stayed at barca

It goes to show that natural talent will take you place but hard work combined with the natural talent can take you to the moon of you want it.

As a Barcelona fan and a South American, I’ve always had a love hate relationship with Neymar, i truly feel like his move to PSG was the first event that tainted his career truly. The fact he’s Brazils all time top scorer and he’s won a champions league and league titles and has the amount of career goals and assists he has that is only bettered by a handful of players and we still consider him a failure speaks volumes to the amount of potential he had. The one thing i do think is unfair to him though is his national team success. I truly think Neymar’s prime coincided with one of Brazils worst ever generations if not their worst. Of course Brazil has talented players, even their reserves would be starters for other national teams but he never had a superstar with him unlike players like Ronaldinho, Kaka, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Romario, Bebeto, Socrates, Zico, Pele, Garrincha, Brazil used to even have superstar defenders like Cafu and Roberto Carlos. In Neymar’s era, Brazil always had sub par defensive players, and their attackers were players like Fred, Hulk, etc

I think he did everything he could I do regret having that release clause in his contract but he did achieve everything if it wasn’t for that tackle in 2014 he would have a World Cup

Babe wake up Alfie just dropped a new video

another tale of a highly talented footballer not given his dues, like matt le tissier, there's so many

Video idea: 7 unwritter rules in assication football (My best example is baseball batters are frowned upon for breaking up a no-hitter or perfect game with a bunt attempt.)