Neymar was born.
Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior ( [ nejˈmaʁ dɐ ˈsiwvɐ ˈsɐ̃tus ˈʒũɲoʁ ] ; born 5 February 1992 ) , commonly known as Neymar or Neymar Jr. , is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Spanish club FC Barcelona and the Brazil national team . Known for his dribbling , finishing , and ability with both feet , Neymar has earned comparisons to former Brazil and Santos forward Pelé . Off the pitch , he ranks among the world 's most prominent sportsmen ; SportsPro named him the most marketable athlete in the world in 2012 and 2013 , and ESPN cited him as the world 's fourth-most famous athlete in 2016 .