The full name of Neymar often comes to the minds of soccer fans eager to know the reason behind the shortening of the name of one of the most prominent players in the world today.

Born on 5 February 1992 in Mogi das Cruzes in Brazil, Neymar’s full name is ‘Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior.’ He is known as Neymar and sometimes Neymar Jr (pronounced Junior). As such, Neymar’s father’s name is called Neymar Santos Sr.

Neymar Jr is among the famous football players around the globe that have abbreviated names sometimes due to the length of pronunciation.

Ranked: Most valuable football players in the world

He rose to fame after three years with the home club Santos FC where he won the Copa Libertadores, Copa do Brasil, and three Campeonato Paulista.

During his rise to the top of European football with Barcelona following his departure from Santos, he won La Liga, Copa del Rey, the Champions League, and the FIFA Club World Cup. In 2015, he was voted La Liga’s best player for the season.

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Neymar currently plays for the French capital club Paris Saint-Germain. He won major honours with the Brazilian club, including the Ligue 1, French Cup, and Super Cup. He also helped the club to finish runners-up in the UEFA Champions League.