In the da Silva Santos family, the father, Neymar Senior, is the central figure. Agent, advisor, lawyer, first supporter, and friend of his son, the 54-year-old man wears so many hats that one could almost forget his face. With short hair and almond-shaped eyes, broad-shouldered while his son has a slender silhouette, it is easy to imagine that he could have caused trouble for defenders some thirty years ago on the bare pitches of the Brazilian second and third divisions.

A modest professional striker, he ended his career in 1997 at age 32, his knees battered by laborious seasons and a car accident that could have cost him his life. That of his son as well. The episode dates back to June 1992 and belongs as much to family history as to the personal legend of the star. It was recounted by the main protagonists in Neymar: Conversations with My Father, a book published in 2014.

The Accident That Changed Everything

The father was driving on a winding road in the state of São Paulo, with his wife Nadine beside him. Neymar Junior, then nicknamed Juninho (not to be confused with the homonym of Olympique Lyonnais), was sleeping on the back seat. A car coming from the opposite direction attempted to overtake and crossed the center line. The collision, on the driver’s side, was violent. Neymar Senior writhed in pain. And when he turned around, the baby was no longer there. In fact, he had simply slipped under a seat, his face bloodied. Those few seconds of terror sealed the father-son relationship for life.

From that moment, Neymar Senior became not just a parent but a protector and guide. This near-death experience forged an unbreakable bond that would later define their professional partnership. The accident also instilled in Neymar Junior a deep trust in his father’s judgment, a trust that would prove crucial when navigating the treacherous waters of elite football.

From Mechanic to Football Emperor

Neymar Senior, a former mechanic himself the son of a mechanic, is also the number one head of the Neymar enterprise. A global brand that generates an annual turnover of around €100 million (salary and advertising contracts combined). When Neymar moved from Santos to FC Barcelona in 2013, and later to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 for a world-record fee of €222 million, his father was at the center of every negotiation.

“I am my son’s father when he is at home,” Neymar Senior explained after the move to Barcelona. “But as soon as he crosses the doorstep, he becomes my livelihood. He generates money. It has become a real business, and his mother and I are the presidents. I have no problem seeing him that way.” This dual role—affectionate father by night, ruthless businessman by day—has been the engine of Neymar’s staggering financial success.

The family business is managed with military precision. While a combination of advisors surrounds the family, Neymar Senior has the final say in financial negotiations—with sponsors as well as clubs. “Neymar is not a son under coercion,” a family friend said. “He follows his instinct, gives direction, and his father takes care of orchestrating everything.” This dynamic has allowed Neymar to focus on his game while his father ensures the commercial and legal aspects are handled flawlessly.

Building the Neymar Brand

The Neymar brand is more than just football. It spans clothing lines, video games, music partnerships, and a massive social media presence. Neymar Senior has been instrumental in securing lucrative deals with brands like Nike, Red Bull, Gillette, and Beats by Dre. The 2017 transfer to PSG was not just a sporting decision; it was a commercial masterstroke that quadrupled his son’s earning potential.

However, the father’s aggressive business tactics have earned him a reputation as a tough negotiator. Former associates have criticized him for being overly controlling. Delcir Sonda, a former business partner who went to court with Neymar Senior, told Spanish newspaper AS: “Neymar Senior has a bad influence on his son’s career. He is, as they say in Brazil, a vagabond. A stoker who became rich overnight thanks to his son’s talent. His father’s greed will lead Neymar down the wrong path. From the beginning, he has been feeding off his back.”

Such accusations have followed the family for years. Critics argue that Neymar Senior’s interference has limited his son’s growth as a player, keeping him under a protective bubble that has sometimes strained relationships with coaches and teammates. Yet supporters point out that without his father’s business acumen, Neymar might never have achieved such financial independence.

Controversies and Legal Battles

When Neymar’s image is tarnished, his father quickly dons the robe of lawyer or crisis communicator, often calling Brazilian TV stations where he has an open line. In early June, when PSG and Brazil star Neymar was targeted by a rape accusation, it was his father who first stepped forward to contradict the allegations. “It’s not true. He has never committed any crime. In reality, he is the victim of blackmail,” Neymar Senior insisted, himself stunned by the gravity of the accusation and the disastrous consequences in terms of image.

The legal battles have been numerous. After Neymar’s transfer to PSG, his father demanded a €26 million bonus from Barcelona. The Catalan club refused, leading to a court case that was scheduled for September 2017. An out-of-court settlement eventually resolved the matter, but it left a sour taste. The relationship with Barcelona remains complicated, with rumors of a potential return for Neymar in 2020 or later always accompanied by discussions of his father’s demands.

The rape accusation in 2019 was a particularly low point. Neymar Senior’s handling of the crisis—releasing video chats and text messages to discredit the accuser—was widely criticized in Brazil but also showcased his willingness to fight dirty to protect his son’s brand. The case eventually fizzled out, but it highlighted the precarious balance between family loyalty and public relations.

The Father-Son Dynamic

Partners in a unique sense, father and son form a fused duo, day and night. It has already happened that Neymar Senior, perfectly integrated into his son’s group of friends, participated with the small gang in the discovery of Parisian nightclubs in the last two years. He does not exactly present the profile of a homebody. Divorced from Nadine since 2017, the mother of his two children (Neymar has a younger sister named Rafaela), he had a romance in the last two years with a Brazilian actress aged 41. The idyll is now reportedly over, according to Rio’s celebrity press. But the couple of his life, he forms with his son.

This codependency has drawn both admiration and concern. Some see it as a beautiful story of a father who sacrificed everything for his son’s dream. Others view it as a suffocating relationship that prevents Neymar from maturing as an independent adult. On the pitch, Neymar’s playful, carefree style suggests a young man still shielded from the harsher realities of professional football—perhaps by design.

Neymar Senior’s influence extends even to the locker room. During Neymar’s time at PSG, his father was a frequent presence at training sessions and matches, often seen chatting with coaches and players. This involvement has sometimes been resented by managers who prefer a more hands-off approach from family members. Yet Neymar consistently defends his father’s role, insisting that he trusts him completely.

The Business of Football Families

The Neymar story is not unique in football. Many stars, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Kylian Mbappe, have family members managing their affairs. But few have been as dominant as Neymar Senior. His transformation from a mechanic and lower-league footballer to a multimillionaire businessman running a global brand is a testament to his cunning and determination.

The downside is that every controversy, every failed negotiation, every legal battle reflects on both father and son. The pressure on their relationship is immense. When Neymar’s performance on the field dips, critics often point to his father’s distractions. When business deals go south, the blame falls squarely on the father’s shoulders. Yet through it all, they remain inseparable.

In the world of football, the term “golden goose” is often used cynically to describe a player whose talent enriches everyone around him. For Neymar Junior, that golden goose is his own father—a man who has built an empire on the back of his son’s brilliance, but who also gave him life and saved it in a car crash long before fame and fortune. Whether that relationship is ultimately healthy or harmful may never be fully resolved, but one thing is certain: Neymar Senior will remain at the center of the story, for better or worse, as long as his son plays the game.

The 1992 accident was not just a tragedy averted; it was the founding myth of a dynasty. Every time Neymar steps onto the pitch, his father is there—watching, calculating, and ensuring that the legacy they built together endures. In the high-stakes world of modern football, where players are often commodities traded between clubs, the da Silva Santos family has managed to maintain control. That control starts and ends with Neymar Senior, the papa poule aux œufs d’or—the daddy golden goose.

Source:leparisien.fr News