All About Neymar And His Football Stats, Records
Neymar has become the all-time leading goalscorer of the Brazil national football team, surpassing Pele's record. In September, the 31-year-old set a new record for the five-time world champions by scoring his 78th and 79th international goals in a 5-1 victory over Bolivia during World Cup 2026 qualifying. After missing a penalty, Neymar scored on the rebound to surpass Pele's record. He scored again in injury time to extend his lead on the all-time charts. Widely considered the best player in the world in the current generation, the 31-year-old is expected to extend his new record further. He remains an integral part of Brazil's plans despite Football transfer news of Neymar making a club switch from PSG to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal. In this blog, we take a look at the greats of the game Neymar and his football stats, records.
Everything you need to know about Neymar and his football stats, records
1. Neymar has scored the most goals for the Brazil national football team - 79 Goals
Neymar has become the all-time leading goalscorer for the Brazil national football team, with 79 goals in 125 appearances. Pele held the record for most goals for Brazil after retiring in 1971, scoring 77 goals in 92 caps. Pele and Neymar are the only two players in the Selecao's history to surpass the 70-goal mark for their nation. Only two other players have surpassed the 50-goal mark for Brazil, with Ronaldo and Romario scoring 62 and 55 goals, respectively. Neymar made his debut for Brazil in 2010, scoring in a 2-0 victory over the United States in New Jersey, marking the beginning of a remarkable international career. The following year, he established himself as a key player for Brazil, scoring seven goals in 13 appearances. In 2013 and 2014, the 31-year-old scored an impressive 25 goals in 33 appearances, displaying his most remarkable form in the iconic yellow jersey to date.
Since then, his best tally in a calendar year is again seven goals from 13 outings. However, he has consistently played a significant role in Brazil's goal-scoring opportunities, as evidenced by his 56 assists at the international level. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, he scored two goals in three matches before Croatia eliminated Brazil in the quarterfinals. Neymar scored two goals in a 5-1 victory over Bolivia, marking a solid start for Brazil in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification process and surpassing Pele's record. Talking about the Brazil Copa America 2024 squad, Neymar, the highest-ever goalscorer for Brazil with 79 goals, failed to make the cut as he is recuperating from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. He picked up the injury in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier against Uruguay in October last year and has been out of action for Brazil since.
| Tournament | Matches Played | Goals Scored | Assists | Minutes Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 128 | 79 | 59 | 10.636' | |
| 1. | International Friendlies | 70 | 46 | 30 | 5.545' |
| 2. | World Cup qualification | 28 | 16 | 19 | 2.448' |
| 3. | World Cup | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1.187' |
| 4. | Copa América | 12 | 5 | 4 | 1.045' |
| 5. | Confederations Cup | 5 | 4 | 2 | 411' |
2. Neymar football club goals for Santos, Barcelona, PSG and Al-Hilal - 360 Goals
It all began at Santos for the talented forward, where he scored the most goals to date, despite leaving his home country to move to La Liga at a young age. Neymar scored an impressive 136 goals in 225 appearances in all competitions for Santos. That was enough to secure his big-money move to Barcelona, and he wasted no time making an impact at the Camp Nou. Playing alongside superstars Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, Neymar thrived in Catalunya, scoring 105 goals in 186 matches.
He became the world's most expensive player in 2017 when PSG paid £198 million to sign him from Barcelona. Even though he hasn't been able to bring the UEFA Champions League success they desire to the club, he managed to win it in 2015 with Barcelona. The Samba ace has scored 82 goals in 112 Ligue 1 matches since then and has won the title five out of his six years at the French capital. Talking about Football transfer news Neymar, the Brazilian superstar has recently completed another high-profile transfer to Riyadh-based side Al-Hilal, where he is poised to dominate Saudi Pro League defences with his skills.
|
Club |
Matches Played |
Goals Scored |
|---|---|---|
| Al-Hilal | 5 | 1 |
|
PSG |
173 |
118 |
|
Barcelona |
186 |
105 |
|
Santos |
225 |
136 |
|
Total |
589 |
360 |
3. What's next for Neymar, the Best player in the world?
Al Hilal clinched the King Cup of Champions by defeating Al Nassr 5-4 on penalties in the final at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, causing heartbreak for Cristiano Ronaldo. This is Al Hilal's second consecutive King Cup of Champions title, securing its third championship by winning the Saudi Super Cup and the Saudi Pro League. Neymar is currently undergoing a lengthy rehabilitation process, with reports indicating that he is expected to recover fully between July and August. Talking about the latest Football news, the new Saudi Pro League campaign will commence when their talisman should be ready to make his comeback, and he will be raring to go, having missed so much time in 2023-24.
