At 32 years old, Neymar is still considered one of the best soccer players in the game. He has won multiple titles with Barcelona, a FIFA Confederations Cup, National Championships, and two medals at the Olympics with Brazil. In 2017, Neymar moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain for €220 million (roughly $255 million), making him the world’s most expensive soccer player at the time. In 2023, Neymar transferred to Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, continuing his illustrious career.
Neymar has been training with professional soccer clubs since he was 11. Seemingly all he does is eat, sleep, and play soccer. So we were curious, what goes on in his everyday life? What does he on a daily basis that keeps him at the top of his game? What does he do to stay loose and achieve balance?
This is what we found:
Neymar’s Daily Routine while training
- 6:30 AM – Wake Up
- 9:00 AM – Soccer practice
- 12:00 PM – Lunch with the team
- 2:00 PM – Afternoon gym workouts with personal trainer
- 3:30 PM – Rehab with physical therapist
- 6:00 PM – Dinner with his father, sister, and friends at home
- 8:00 PM – Play video games with his friends at home. Usually FIFA, Call of Duty or video poker.
- 10:00 PM – Sleep
Lives with Dad
Neymar’s father Neymar Sr. is a former soccer player himself, and is credited with building Neymar Jr.’s strong work ethic by enforcing discipline during his childhood. Today, he acts as Neymar’s advisor and manages his finances, contracts and daily engagements and he’s very good at it too. His skills were key in negotiating a €220 million contract for his son. Neymar’s mother and son live in São Paulo, Brazil, while his younger sister spends equal time in both locations.
Sweet Tooth
Neymar does his best to eat healthy but he indulges with the occasional treat. He enjoys hamburgers, chocolate and cake. Neymar uses the help of personal chef Marcela Lermy, to keep his diet on track. Lermy follows his orders for the most part, but also adds in Brazilian staples like chicken, rice, and beans. For breakfast, Neymar prefers either eggs or cereal, and at dinner, his favorite meals are lasagna, risotto, and Japanese cuisine.
Love of the Game
Although Neymar enjoys many hobbies, his favorite is still soccer. He expresses an incredible love for the game, and knows soccer is what keeps him happy:
Since I was little, I have always been very cheerful and playful with everyone. I like to enjoy myself!… It’s fun that has to be managed. You must be serious with it. But I’m always happy when I play. When you’re happy, things naturally work out; when you’re sad, things never work out.
Seemingly everywhere Neymar goes, he has a ball with him. He loves to juggle in his free time, and carries and kicks the ball down hallways whenever he can, even after a game. One of his favorite outdoor activities is called “Futtoc“, which is a soccerized version of ping pong. Finding different ways of playing with the ball is what allows Neymar to continue to play soccer with the same passion and love he had for it when he first found the game.
We cannot wait to watch Neymar perform once he is back from recovery from his knee injury.