Neymar almost signed for THIS European giant!
27There were a number of clubs hot on the trail of Neymar right from an early age.
By the age of 11, Neymar was playing youth football for Santos and within a few years, he was being courted by some of European football’s elite.
Chelsea had tried to sign him after his debut for Santos and soon enough Barcelona were hot on his heels in 2012.
The likes of Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique had swayed the deal, personally phoning Neymar in order to get the transfer over the line.
Soon enough, with the lure of Messi and Barcelona – Neymar was signed a year later to Barcelona and together with Lionel Messi and the following year’s acquisition Luis Suarez, they won the treble together in 2015.
However. HOWEVER – Neymar aged just 13 almost signed for Real Madrid.
He was on trial with the capital club of Spain in 2005 and he seemed destined to become a little Galactico in the making.
There was a snag: Neymar didn’t want to move away from Brazil just yet – away from his mother and sister – at a young age, so the deal was nixed and Neymar remained in Brazil.
He would make his debut at Santos and via the 2013 transfer to Barcelona, numerous domestic honours and the 2015 UEFA Champions League, wound up the most expensive footballer of all-time when he signed for PSG in 2017.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid would win the Champions League in the other 3 years in which Neymar played for their Clasico rivals, and the year after he left Spain too for good measure.
#Neymar #RealMadrid #Barcelona
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Voice: Jake Doyle (@jakedoyle93)
Illustrations: Jake Doyle (@jakedoyle93)
Words: Jake Doyle (@jakedoyle93)
Edit: Jake Doyle (@jakedoyle93)
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