NEYMAR JR. AND THE TRANSFER MARKET
Neymar Jr., currently the most prominent Brazilian athlete in the world, has cemented his status as an idol with a long list of achievements that includes Brazil’s first gold medal in soccer at the Olympics, the European treble (Copa del Rey, La Liga, and Champions League) with FC Barcelona: three consecutive São Paulo State Championships, the Brazilian Cup, the Copa Libertadores, and the Confederations Cup.
In 2020, Neymar Jr. became the second-highest scorer in the history of the Brazilian national team with 64 (sixty-four) goals. At the age of 31, he further expanded his legacy by reaching more than 78 (seventy-eight) goals, surpassing Pelé’s historic record as the Brazilian national team’s all-time leading scorer.
Neymar Jr. is the Brazilian athlete with the most goals in the history of Champions League, with 43 (forty-three) goals. He has since returned to the Santos FC, marking a historic moment for Brazilian soccer.
Considered one of the most influential figures and trendsetters, Neymar Jr. is recognized across a wide range of social groups. This recognition leads to significant interaction with the media.
His popularity on social media is also noteworthy. The athlete has more than 92 million likes on Facebook, more than 229 (two hundred twenty-nine) million followers on Instagram, 64 (sixty-four) million in the Twitter and more than 5 (five) million subscribers on its official YouTube channel YouTube, in addition to frequent appearances in top trends.
Neymar Jr.'s image began to take shape while he was still playing in the youth ranks of the Santos FC, with the project continued under the leadership of NR Sports, the company that holds the commercial rights to the athlete's image. This project represented a new management culture in Brazilian soccer. In 2011, one of the industry's most prestigious awards, the Marketing Best Award, acknowledged the case “"Neymar Jr.: Boy, Idol, Icon, Legend. A Journey in the Making," developed by Santos Futebol Clube.
Neymar Jr.’s undeniable star power, combined with his authenticity, relevance, and strong public presence, makes him a figure with tremendous commercial appeal both nationally and internationally. His name and image resonate with different types of products and audiences, enabling consistent connections across various campaigns and initiatives.
Several studies confirm the potential for promoting Neymar Jr.'s image. According to the SportsPro, recognized for its research in the field of sports marketing, Neymar Jr. was the only Brazilian among the ten most marketable athletes worldwide in 2016. Meanwhile, the Nielsen Research Institute revealed that, in 2014, Neymar Jr. ranked among the top athletes in the N-Score — a comprehensive study in Brazil that assesses the image and influence of sports figures.
Neymar Jr.'s popularity in the digital world continues to soar. The current No. 10 for Santos FC was the most-mentioned player in the world in the Twitter in 2019. In 2020, it was the most talked-about topic among Brazilians on the platform. In August 2021, the website SportsPro, which specializes in sports business, released a survey that named Neymar Jr. as the most influential Brazilian athlete in the world that year—the athlete garnered more than 7 (seven) billion impressions on social media.
His strong ability to engage with fans also had a positive impact on attendance figures, interest, and revenue for the French League, where he played from 2017 to 2023. According to Yoann Godin, international director of the Ligue 1: “The biggest impact on revenue came from our national broadcast agreement and the growth in national and international viewership. All the clubs also played to sold-out stadiums when they faced Neymar’s PSG. We also believe that Neymar’s arrival was beneficial for the image of the Ligue 1 in general and helped us increase revenue in a more indirect way”, adds the director.
A PUMA, a partner of NR Sports since September 2020, also experienced the “Neymar Jr. factor” right from the start. The announcement that Neymar Jr. was joining the family PUMA It was a record for the company on its official channels, with new followers, mentions, and high engagement. In total, 44 (forty-four) social media channels posted about the partnership across four different networks, generating 58.3 (fifty-eight) million impressions and 2.95 (two point ninety-five) million interactions over a period of 3 (three) days (September 12–15, 2020).
Sources: Marketing Best, SportsPro, Nielsen, Época Negócios, Twitter, Ligue 1, and PUMA.
