Who are Neymar’s parents? The childhood and family background of the football star explained

Who are Neymar’s parents? The childhood and family background of the football star explained

Kevin Omuya
updated at February 10, 2024 at 5:42 AM

As a member of the Brazilian national team and Al Hilal FC, Neymar has achieved legendary status as a football player. In addition to his passion for football, the Brazilian frequently expresses his love and devotion to his family on social media. Neymar's parents are instrumental in their son's professional success. His family history, ethnicity, and parents' names are all detailed below.

Neymar's parents
NeymarJr. poses with his mother, Nadine, in 2017 (left). On the right is Neymar Santos Sr, Neymar Jr’s father at Hotel Unique in 2017, Brazil. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini, Mauricio Santana/Getty Images
Source: Original

The Brazilian forward's family's financial support allowed him to pursue his football dreams despite economic challenges during childhood. Even at an early age, his talent shone through. He joined the prestigious Brazilian club Santos FC Youth Academy, where he became a superstar.

Profile summary

Title

Details

Full name

Neymar da Silva Santos Jr.

Gender

Male

Date of birth

February 5, 1992

Place of birth

Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil

Age

31 years old as of 2024

Nationality

Brazilian

Ethnicity

Mixed

Height

1.75m (5'9")

Weight

68kg (150lbs)

Father's name

Neymar Snr

Mother's name

Nadine Gonçalves

Siblings

Rafaella Santos

Current team

Al Hilal

Net worth

$250 million

Social media

Instagram, X(Twitter)

Neymar Jr's biography

The Brazilian footballer was born to Neymar Santos Snr and Nadine Gonçalves on February 5, 1992, in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil, and is 31 years old as of 2024. His listed height is 1.75m, and he weighs 68kg.

Neymar Sr. was married to Nadine in 1991. The couple had a son and a daughter. The football superstar was born to them in 1992, making him their first child. In 1996, Rafaella was born to them. They were married for 25 years and divorced in 2016.

Who are Neymar's parents?

Are Neymar's Parents Still Alive?
Neymar Jr of PSG between his father Neymar Sr and his mother Nadine Santos during the French Ligue 1 match against Amiens SC at Parc des Princes on August 5, 2017, in Paris. Photo: Jean Catuffe
Source: Getty Images

Neymar Santos Sr. (Father)

As a former player, Santos Sr. sparked an interest in football in his son. Indeed, Neymar Jr did begin to exhibit remarkable accomplishments at a young age, proving him correct. He looks up to his father as a man responsible for supporting his family and raising his children.

Nadine Gonçalves (Mother)

The superstar has a strong bond with his mother, Nadine Gonçalves. When asked about her background, Nadine was cagey. After her 2016 breakup with the former Brazilian footballer, she went public with her romance with the considerably younger Tiago Ramos. Her Instagram following is massive.

Who are Neymar’s siblings?

Who are Neymar’s Siblings?
Neymar Jr (middle) poses with his friend Jo Amancio, his mother Nadine, his father Neymar Sr Santos, and his sister Raffaela Santos Beckran on August 4, 2017, in Paris, France. Photo: Jean Catuffe
Source: Getty Images

Neymar's sister is Rafaella Beckran. They are incredibly close. To commemorate their intense bond, the couple got tattoos of each other—Neymar's is of Rafaella's face, and she got one of his eyes—in addition to her pair of tattoos.

Neymar's parents' nationality?

The majority of Neymar's life has been spent in Brazil, where he was born and raised by parents who are native Brazilians. Along with their solid Brazilian identity, they have enthusiastically embraced many other cultures and languages, enhancing their travel experiences by learning a few words and phrases in English, French, and Spanish.

Are Neymar's parents together?

For reasons unknown, Neymar's parents divorced in 2016. The now-popular internet personality confirmed the relationship between Nadia Gonçalves and Tiago Ramos.

Why did Neymar's parents divorce?

Neymar's parents
Brazilian forward Neymar (L) and his father, retired Brazilian footballer Neymar Sr, look on during the opening audience at the courthouse in Barcelona on October 17, 2022. Photo: Josep Lago
Source: Getty Images

The parents of the former PSG star ended their long and troubled marriage in 2016. The couple reportedly had problems in 2013 after Santos Sr was accused of tax evasion and fraud. The couple's marriage had been tested by allegations of infidelity and financial troubles involving his father.

Rumours abounded that Neymar's father had been unfaithful during their marriage, adding fuel to the fire of the contentious divorce. Nadine Santos insisted that "irreconcilable differences" were the reason for the divorce. During an interview, she stated,

“It was a mutual decision, we both were no longer in love.”

What did Neymar's parents do?

What Did Neymar's Parents Do?
PSG's president Nasser Al-Khelaifi (L) and Neymar Santos, father of Neymar Jr., pose for pictures holding a t-shirt of Neymar Junior Institute project on March 13, 2018. Photo: Nelson Almeida
Source: Getty Images

Even though his son's career in football was more successful, Santos Sr. played a little football when he was younger. Portuguesa Santista, União Mogi, and Comercial-SP were among the lower-tier Brazilian clubs he played for as a midfielder.

He had to retire from the sport at 29 due to injuries and financial difficulties. Then, to support his family, he changed directions and worked as a salesman and mechanic.

Aside from his football career, Santos Sr. was integral to his son Neymar Jr.'s development as a player and coach, spending much time with the young players. He now oversees Neymar's contractual responsibilities and business interests as a prosperous entrepreneur.

Are Neymar's parents still alive?

Are Neymar's Parents Still Alive?
Neymar attends the parade of the Vila Isabel samba school performance accompanied by Brazilian singer Anitta (C)and his mother Nadine Goncalves (R) on March 4, 2019. Photo: Mauro Pimentel
Source: Getty Images

The news that Nadine Santos' mom was seeing a 22-year-old gamer six years her junior made headlines. The 52-year-old recently ended her relationship with the footballer's father and was seen out and about in Brazil with TikTok star Tiago Ramos, whom she dated for a while.

Many were taken aback by the couple's blossoming romance, which had been behind the scenes for a while. Ramos was a popular gamer and TikTok star who had millions of followers.

After meeting in Sao Paulo, Nadine posted photos of them on social media. Despite their age gap, the couple was seen going on romantic dinner dates and vacations together.

Final word

The love, wisdom, and support of Neymar's parents, Nadine da Silva and Neymar Santos Sr. have been constant sources of motivation for the superstar throughout his life. They have been instrumental in his success, serving as family, fans, critics, and mentors.

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Authors
Kevin Omuya photo
Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.