Neymar's languages: How many languages does the brazilian footballer speak?

Neymar's languages: How many languages does the brazilian footballer speak?

Helix Odhiambo
updated at December 15, 2023 at 9:25 AM
In this article:
Spanish La Liga logo
SPA La Liga
Spain
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior logo
Neymar
Al-Hilal Saudi FC logoFBrazil logo
Lionel Messi logo
L.Messi
Inter Miami CF logoFArgentina logo
Kylian Mbappé logo
K.Mbappé
Real Madrid logoFFrance logo
French Ligue 1 logo
FRA Ligue 1
France

The Brazilian star is known for his talent and dazzling skills on the pitch. Neymar is one of the most talented footballers of his generation and an inspiration to many. The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has played with dozens of players speaking different languages, but how does he communicate with them? What are Neymar's languages?

Neymar's languages
Al Hilal's Neymar gestures during their Saudi Pro League match against Al Shabab at Prince Faisal Bin Fahad on 29 September 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: Francois Nel
Source: Getty Images

Where is Neymar from? The footballer hails from Brazil. He is a household name and one of the most popular and wealthiest athletes. Watching him play brings joy and enthusiasm to most football lovers. This article reveals the languages he speaks and other exciting details about him. First, let us delve into his profile.

List of Neymar's languages

Languages spoken by Neymar
Former PSG forward Neymar during a press conference at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on 13 February 2023 ahead of their UCL match against Bayern Munich. Photo: Franck Fife
Source: Getty Images

How many languages can Neymar speak? The Brazilian has played in different countries and experienced diverse cultures. He speaks two languages, Spanish and Portuguese. Here is a timeline of languages spoken by Neymar.

Does Neymar speak Portuguese fluently?

The Al Hilal forward speaks fluent Portuguese because it is his native language. It is Brazil's official and national language, spoken by most people. The talented striker lived and played football in Brazil until he was 21 before moving to Europe.

Can Neymar speak Spanish?

The Brazilian is also fluent in Spanish. He reportedly learnt the language a few years before his move to Barcelona in 2013. His Spanish strengthened during his time at the Catalan club.

Neymar spent four seasons at Barca, interacting with many Spanish and Catalan speakers. However, he knows a little of Catalan, a language widely used in Catalonia.

Does Neymar speak English fluently?

English is widely spoken globally, but the Brazilian star is not as fluent in it as his two main languages. In June 2023, a TikTok video of the Al Hilal star having a rare interview in English made rounds on X (Twitter), surprising many who believed he did not know the language.

The forward demonstrated his understanding of the language during the brief talk by answering questions about the cost of his clothing.

Does Neymar speak French?

Does Neymar speak English?
Neymar Jr warms up during a Paris Saint-Germain training session ahead of their UEFA Champions League group H match against Maccabi Haifa on 13 September 2022 in Paris, France. Photo: Aurelien Meunier
Source: Getty Images

The talented footballer completed a record transfer fee of around $240 million from Barcelona to French club Paris Saint-Germain in August 2017. He spent six seasons in Paris before leaving for Saudi Arabia.

The forward is not fluent in French and even faced criticism from some French media for not trying to learn the language. Some viewed it as 'disrespect' to the French.

What languages does Neymar speak in Saudi Arabia?

The Brazilian moved to Saudi Arabia in August 2023 to join Al Hilal. He does not understand Arabic, the country's prominent language, and often communicates with others through translators. The former PSG star speaks Spanish and Portuguese to those who understand.

Does Messi and Neymar speak English?

Does Messi and Neymar speak English?
Neymar Jr (L), Kylian Mbappe (C), and Lionel Messi (R) of PSG pose before their UCL match against Maccabi Haifa FC at Parc des Princes on 25 October 2022 in Paris, France. Photo: Xavier Laine
Source: Getty Images

Lionel Messi and Neymar built a formidable partnership at Barcelona before linking up again in PSG. They are close friends on and off the pitch. Messi speaks Spanish fluently. He was born and raised in Argentina, where Spanish is the native language.

Leo also understands and speaks Catalan, having spent most of his life in Barcelona. He does not speak Portuguese, French, and English. The Argentine always gives his interviews in Spanish, a language his friend Neymar speaks fluently.

What language does Neymar speak to Mbappe?

The two footballers formed an incredible connection at PSG, helping the club dominate domestic competitions and improve in Europe. The Brazilian communicated well with Mbappe because they both speak Spanish. Kylian Mbappe was born and raised in Paris, France. He is fluent in multiple languages, including French, Spanish, and English.

Interesting facts about Neymar

How many languages does Neymar speak?
Brazil's Neymar reacts during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Venezuela at the Arena Pantanal stadium in Cuiaba, Brazil, on 12 October 2023. Photo: Nelson Almeida
Source: Getty Images

The Brazilian has made a name for himself as one of the greatest footballers. Besides his career, Neymar has a family and enjoys other things when not playing. Here are fascinating details about him.

Who are Neymar's parents?

The former Barca star was born to Neymar Santos Sr. and Nadine Gonçalves. His father was a footballer playing for Brazil's lowest league but suffered a horrifying accident that made him quit football. Nadine was a homemaker. He also has a sister called Rafaella Beckran.

Is he married?

The Al Hilal forward is not married, and he is reportedly single. He has dated several ladies in his life. The list of Neymar's girlfriends includes Carolina Dantas, Barbara Evans Clark, Mayra Cardi, Bruna Marquezine, and Bruna Biancardi. The footballer split with his girlfriend Bruna in November 2023 following reports of his unfaithfulness.

Who are Neymar's children?

The forward has two kids with different women. His son, Davi Lucca, was born on 24 August 2011 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Lucca's mother is Carolina Dantas. The footballer also has a daughter, Mavie, with his recent ex, Bruna Biancardi. Mavie was born on 7 October 2023.

Social media presence

The Brazilian has a strong presence on social media, making him one of the most followed athletes on earth. He has 217 million followers on Instagram and 92 million followers on Facebook as of December 2023. His X (Twitter) account has 62 million followers.

Final word

Millions of people understand Neymar's languages, but English remains widely spoken globally. The Brazilian has had difficulties communicating with some of his teammates, forcing him to use translators. So, will he learn Arabic now that he is in Saudi Arabia?

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The legendary forward dazzled fans in the MLS, the J1 League, A-League Men, and La Liga, before retiring in 2020. Follow the above link to understand his brilliance and career statistics.

Authors
Helix Odhiambo photo
Helix Odhiambo
Helix Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan journalist and content creator with over 6 years of experience. In 2016, he won the Goal Blaze Correspondent Award for young writers.