A suspicious record of being banned or injured around his sister’s birthday, his dad’s curious transfer involvement and a private message from his mum’s new partner years before they met: Inside Neymar’s very colourful family
It’s never dull in the life of Neymar even during a time when a global pandemic is stopping him from entertaining supporters in his position as one of the greatest players in the world.
The latest drama to emerge out of the Brazilian superstar’s camp is that his mother is dating a gamer and a model six years younger than the Paris Saint-Germain striker… who just also happens to be a superfan.
Nadine Goncalves revealed on Instagram how she was dating the 22-year-old Tiago Ramos.
Neymar has given his approval to his mother’s relationship with a model six years his junior
It’s a relationship Neymar has given his full blessing too, leaving a touching comment underneath the post that read: ‘Be happy mom. Love you.’
Nadine has been split from Neymar’s father (more on him later) for four years following a 25-year marriage, and he too praised the relationship with positive gesturing emojis on Instagram.
But Ramos has long wished to be ‘a brother’ to Neymar following a heartfelt message he sent the forward back in 2017.
Nadine Goncalves is dating 22-year-old Tiago Ramos and posted a loving photo of the couple
Tiago is a self-confessed fan of Neymar and had met the PSG superstar in January this year
He had said: ‘Neymar you are fantastic, I don’t know how to explain the emotion of being a fan of a guy like you.
‘I see you playing and I’m very motivated, one day I hope to read this message with you, be your brother and play together.
‘I know that one day I will meet you, because I am a dreamy boy where I do not give up on my goals! Stay with God, very successful and happy.’
It could be a relationship that leads to Ramos becoming Neymar’s father-in-law. But even if he was to become ‘a brother’, it is highly unlikely it could ever match the same sibling love between Neymar and his sister Rafaella Beckran.
Neymar has a very strong relationship with his sister Rafaella Beckran
The Paris-Saint Germain striker even has a tattoo of his sibling on his upper right arm
Rafaella is a model and has a huge following of five million on social media platform Instagram
The pair are so close they have tattoos of each other on their arms. Neymar has Rafaella’s on his right arm, while he appears on her left.
Such is their relationship, many have spotted a weird coincidence during the striker’s career in that he is either injured or suspended around the matches of her March 11 birthday every season going back to 2014-15.
It’s not an occurrence that has been lost on rivals either. The former Barcelona striker has been linked with a move to Real Madrid at times since a world record £198m transfer to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
And current Madrid star Sergio Ramos was left in little doubt about a certain condition he would want if he ever got to play alongside the forward. ‘I like to play with the best and Neymar is one of them,’ he once claimed, before jokingly adding: ‘What we would have to negotiate is his sister’s birthday.’
Neymar’s father, known as Neymar Sr, has had a huge influence on his son’s transfer dealings
Rafaella has become a star in her own right, amassing over five million followers as a model on Instagram.
Neymar’s football career at least on a coincidental basis seems to be impacted by his sister once a year. His father however has a far greater influence.
Neymar Sr was also a professional footballer although not quite on the global recognition scale as his son. He has though become integral to the direction of his career.
It was while playing for Santos that Neymar attracted attention from all of Europe’s big clubs, and his father was quick to profit even then. He charged Barcelona £9million for just having an option to sign his son in 2011 and then commanded another £35million for bringing an agreed transfer date forward by a year to 2013.
Neymar stands with his mother Nadine and his son Davi Lucca who turns nine this year
And what of the future? The PSG star could even end up playing alongside his son one day.
Davi Lucca da Silva Santos was born while Neymar was just 19-years-old and he has already played alongside the children of Barca stars Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez in the club’s training scheme set up for kids.
While it may never be dull, controversial or somewhat bizarre in Neymar’s family, it at least (and perhaps the very most) appears to be a happy one.