Neymar Jr’s name is back in the spotlight, this time because of a business move loaded with symbolism.
His father, through the family company NR Sports, has purchased the image rights of Brazilian legend Pelé with the aim of developing them commercially. According to local outlet UOL, the official announcement could come this Wednesday, coinciding with the anniversary of O Rei’s 1,000th career goal. The deal is reportedly worth around $16 million.
The negotiation encountered no resistance from Sport10, the firm that had managed the Pelé brand until now. As the outlet notes, the company had traditionally focused its work on campaigns tied to the former footballer’s personal appearances, and since his death, its commercial returns had declined sharply. The transfer is therefore seen as a natural outcome for a brand both iconic and underused in recent years.
Pelé and Neymar have long shared a close relationship, which has grown even stronger since the current Santos forward returned to the club where both were developed five decades apart. Expressions such as “The Prince,” used in reference to the “King” moniker that followed Pelé throughout his life, have reflected the respect and admiration Neymar has consistently shown toward Brazil’s greatest football figure.
That bond has also taken tangible form. NR Sports recently made a significant investment – without financial support from the club – to renovate the box Pelé occupied at Vila Belmiro stadium, adding new seats and amenities to preserve a space filled with history.
This latest business move joins a long list of operations that have turned the Neymar family into a powerful economic force within the sport. Alongside his substantial earnings as a player, he benefits from multimillion-dollar sponsorship deals and unexpected opportunities that have helped cement him as one of the most influential business figures in global football.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Power33
0
Madrid stars
kapbcimo
2
Nice