Neymar: A Biography of the Brazilian Superstar

Learn about the inspirational story of Neymar One would think that the son of a professional footballer would inherit a paved road to success in the same sport. But, Neymar Jr.'s status as one of the best players in the world has not come without great sacrifice, persistence, endurance...and a lot of luck. He and his family have taken advantage of the big breaks which have come his way. By combining opportunity with the natural talent for soccer that he inherited from his father, he has risen to the ranks of the highest paid and best young soccer players the world has ever seen. Neymar da Silva Santos, Jr. was born in Mogi des Cruzes, S?o Paulo to Neymar Santos, Sr. and Nadine da Silva on February 5, 1992. Upon his birth, in order to distinguish him from his father, his father came to be called Pai which means "father." The son was called Juninho which means "junior." To the world, the son would become Neymar. Here is a preview of this biography: A Born Legacy A Child Prodigy Taking on the World The Deadly Trio International Play Controversy Personal Life Here is an excerpt from the book: Nadine has described Neymar beginning to show his passion and talent for soccer when he was just a toddler. He would chase after balls at any risk, and instead of the typical stuffed animal, he slept with a soccer ball. She recalls that, at one time, he had as many as 54 soccer balls in his bed. Pai remembers being amazed that even at three years old, Neymar would play ball with his feet instead of his hands. In the cramped house the family shared with his grandparents, Neymar would contrive drills in the narrow ways between furniture and walls. He used his sister and cousins as defenders and goalkeepers. He played with the older boys in the streets using whatever they could find to use as a ball. He has stated, "They were very dismissive, the other boys. 'Who is this little kid?' But I managed to convince them to let me play that first time, and I scored a goal. That changed their attitude. That changed everything." He was only four or five, but he was building the skills and agility which would one day captivate the world.