How Did Neymar Jr. Become a Leader? New Episode Reveals Parallels Between His Childhood and Professional Career

"Leadership" is the third episode of NR Sports' original mini-documentary series about Neymar Jr.

Continuing the exclusive original mini-documentary created by NR Sports, the third episode of “Neymar Jr.: Inside the Story” is titled “Leadership.” The episode highlights the athlete’s motto throughout his career: “1% chance, 99% faith.”

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Statements by businessman Pini Zahavi, as well as Neymar Jr.’s parents and sister, exemplify his spirit of leadership, which remains alive even in the most challenging and “impossible” ones, such as the match against Atalanta in the quarterfinals of the 2019–20 Champions League, when PSG secured a heroic 2–1 victory in the final three minutes.

The game was played in Lisbon, Portugal, after a three-month hiatus in soccer worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Find out how Neymar Jr. prepared and stepped up his training during the break from competition, and how a childhood argument with his father became a source of inspiration and a lesson for the leader he has become as an athlete.

Produced by NR Sports, with never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage and details from one of the most important seasons of Neymar Jr.’s career, the episode “Leadership” draws parallels between the star player’s childhood and the Champions League quarterfinal match.

“If people aren’t running, then run to show them that you want to win,” says the star player’s father, revealing one of the first leadership lessons he passed on to his son. The impact this inspiring story had on Neymar Jr. is evident in his professional career, as shown by the team’s important advancement to the semifinals.

“I kept saying no—I’m going to get the ball. There’ll be a ball left for me, and I need to be ready to score—that’s what I was thinking,” says Neymar Jr. about overcoming the odds during the comeback. The faith of his mother, Nadine Gonçalves, and his sister, Rafaella, also stands out. Unable to travel, they watched Brazil’s game on television, but they never stopped believing.

The third episode of “Neymar Jr.: Inside the Story” wraps up this first batch of the mini-documentary and premieres this Thursday, December 2, exclusively on the official NR Sports YouTube channel. Don’t forget to subscribe and turn on notifications so you don’t miss any updates.

The two previous episodes, “Parents and Children” and “Unity,” are now available and can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtBaW4GyuyhX9m-lafaLYt4X-B2tXYy6I