The Neymar stats that matter are the ones that put him above Pele: 79 goals for Brazil, more than any man in the nation’s history. The most expensive player football has ever seen and the heir who became a record-breaker in his own right, Neymar is at a fourth World Cup — though at 34, his role is very different now. Here are the numbers behind a Brazilian great. For the bigger picture, see our World Cup 2026 hub.
Neymar stats: the numbers of a Brazilian great
| Team | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Santos | 268 | 153 |
| Barcelona | 186 | 105 |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 173 | 118 |
| Al-Hilal | 7 | 1 |
| Brazil | 128 | 79 |
Club figures are all-competition career totals; tallies can vary by provider. Santos covers both of his spells.
The man who passed Pele
Neymar’s defining number is 79 — the goals that, in 2023, took him past Pele as Brazil’s all-time leading scorer. Add more than 370 goals across his club career and you have one of the most prolific attackers of his generation, a left-footed forward who blended flair, dribbling and ruthless finishing.
The €222m man: from Santos to a world record
After winning the Copa Libertadores with boyhood club Santos in 2011, Neymar moved to Barcelona and then, in 2017, to Paris Saint-Germain for €222m — a fee that made him the most expensive player in history and a record that still stands today. He later spent time at Al-Hilal before returning home to Santos.
A treble at Barcelona, titles everywhere
Neymar’s trophy haul is vast: the 2015 Champions League and treble with Barcelona, five Ligue 1 titles at PSG, the Copa Libertadores with Santos, and Olympic gold with Brazil in 2016. Few forwards of his era have won more.
Neymar at the World Cup 2026
This is Neymar’s fourth World Cup, but his role is a peripheral one. Named in Brazil’s squad despite a calf injury suffered in May, he was left out of the group games as he built fitness, and has been used sparingly. Brazil, meanwhile, have powered into the Round of 16 after beating Japan, led by the likes of Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha. See where Brazil sit in our who will win the World Cup 2026 guide and the World Cup 2026 bracket.
One last World Cup chapter?
Whether or not he features heavily, Neymar’s place in Brazilian football history is secure as their greatest-ever goalscorer — and a fit-again Neymar would still be a weapon as the knockouts unfold. Must be 21+ and present in a state where betting is legal. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Yes. Neymar has 79 goals for Brazil, having passed Pele as the country’s all-time leading scorer in 2023.
Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona in 2017 for 222 million euros, making him the most expensive player in football history — a record that still stands.
Neymar won the Champions League and a treble with Barcelona in 2015, five Ligue 1 titles with PSG, the Copa Libertadores with Santos, and Olympic gold with Brazil in 2016.
Neymar is in Brazil’s squad for his fourth World Cup but has a peripheral role, limited by a calf injury. Brazil have reached the Round of 16.