SBy the time he became an active player, Neymar had already shown that he was a legend. An immersive exhibition dedicated to his career, held at São Paulo’s Pacaembu Stadium, attracted around 10,000 people in just one month, with ticket prices reaching up to $25 (20 euros). The plan is clear. The idea is to bring that experience to a world tour.
The exhibition, titled “Neymar Jr. – Giant of Nature” – a paraphrase of a line from the Brazilian national anthem, tattooed on his chest with the number 10 on his back – will feature around 65 items from the Santos striker’s personal collection, including trophies, shirts, photographs and unique items. The project is being promoted by NR Sports, the company that manages his image and recently acquired the rights to the Pele brand.
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The tour, backed by sponsors including PUMA, Red Bull and Play by Ney, will invite visitors to step onto the historic Estadio do Pacaembu pitch in shorts and reenact the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player’s actions, including free-kicks against the wall, penalties against the goalkeeper and dribbling drills. This is always done under the guidance of a monitor.
“The Neymar brand is global and has roots all over the world. We want this model to last for many years in different locations,” Felipe Giocondo, partner at the agency Plan responsible for designing the exhibition, told EFE. The São Paulo edition, which opened on January 3rd, will bid farewell this Saturday as it begins its leap to other cities in Latin America and Europe, with a particular emphasis on Spain and France, as well as Saudi Arabia.
Neymar is now 33 years old and despite a series of injuries, he still has a strong appeal among children. “Much of his commercial success is explained by his connection with children and his credibility, which is also closely connected to social networks,” Giocondo says. The full experience costs 130 reais (approximately $25), but children’s prices are discounted and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the social projects of the Neymar Junior Institute.
special project
In recent days, the pitch at Pacaembu, where Neymar scored his first professional goal and won the 2011 Copa Libertadores, was filled with boys and girls imitating their idol. Some parents are praising the sports proposal, even deserving of his example off the field. Neymar, meanwhile, is heading into the new season with Santos as he speeds up his recovery to play in what could be his last World Cup, which is his big goal this year.
