Neymar Jr. has been one of the biggest soccer players in the world since his breakout back in 2011. The Brazilian scored a jaw-dropping solo goal in 2011 which won him the prestigious FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal. Neymar announced himself to the world with that goal.
Since 2011, the winger has amassed a global fan following who wants to know every minute detail about their superstar, including the languages he can speak.
I traced back Neymar’s entire career to answer this question!
Native Language of Neymar Jr.
Neymar was born in São Paulo, Brazil in 1992. Brazil is the most populous country in the world that speaks Portuguese. The national language of Brazil is Portuguese making it the native language of Neymar Jr.
Neymar started his soccer journey with Santos, one of the biggest clubs in Brazil who offered him a contract in 2003. The winger stayed with the club till 2013 during which he only spoke Portuguese.
Move to Spain with FC Barcelona – Spanish & Catalan
Neymar Jr. moved to Spain in 2013 with a move to FC Barcelona, one of the biggest clubs in La Liga. The move to Barcelona made Neymar learn two languages – Spanish, which is the official language of the country, and Catalan, which is also spoken in Barcelona.
Neymar spent four seasons in Barcelona from 2013 to 2017 during which he became fluent in Spanish and Catalan. The Brazilian spoke Catalan during his presentation ceremony in 2013. He also spoke fluent Spanish in a few interviews during his time at FC Barcelona.
As a Barcelona fan myself, this was a beautiful era for my club with Neymar Jr., Lionel Messi, and Luis Suarez at the club wreaking havoc around Europe.
Move to France with PSG – French
Neymar Jr. moved to PSG in Ligue 1 in one of the most high-profile transfers of all time. The Paris-based club spent a record transfer fee of $263 Million to bring the Brazilian winger to PSG.
Many expected Neymar to quickly learn French, however, that was not the case. The Brazilian didn’t learn to speak French during his time at the Paris club.
It drew a lot of attention from fans and was a topic of debate among experts in Ligue 1. It was later revealed that Neymar Jr. understands French but cannot speak it properly.
Neymar was able to settle with the club without learning to speak French due to the high numbers of Spanish and Portuguese speakers during his time at the club.
Meanwhile, all four managers during his stint, Unai Emery, Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, and Christophe Galtier, spoke either Portuguese or Spanish.
Neymar Jr. played 173 games for the Paris club scoring 118 goals and 77 assists. He won 12 titles with the French club in six seasons.
Move to Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal – Arabic
In the summer of 2023, Neymar Jr. moved to Saudi Arabia from France with a move to Al-Hilal FC in the Saudi Pro League. In Saudi Arabia, the national language is Arabic which should be a challenge for any South American athlete.
However, Neymar has been up to the task as he has been seen learning Arabic with the help of his teammates at the club who are already fluent in the language. The Brazilian winger is fluent in certain phrases and words.
Neymar has joined the Saudi club on a two-year contract which gives him ample time to learn the language. Learning the language will help him settle quickly in the squad as well as more lucrative domestic brand deals if he can communicate in the national language of Saudi Arabia.
Can Neymar Jr. speak English?
Neymar is one of the most marketable soccer athletes in the world. For any Global superstar, English can be essential for brand deals and other off-field collaborations.
Since his move to FC Barcelona, Neymar has been slowly learning English to add the language to his vocabulary. Neymar Jr. has been seen speaking English at various events and with various influencers.
Neymar’s English has been improved since his move to PSG. He was able to properly converse in English when he was in attendance at an NBA Paris Game to watch the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2020.
Neymar showcased his English again recently when he met the famous streamer IShowSpeed in Japan during PSG’s pre-season tour.
The Brazilian is only 31 and might move to an English-speaking country like the USA. A move to MLS is always on the cards especially when his friend Lionel Messi is already there. By that time, we can expect Neymar to arrive speaking fluent English for his fans.
Summary
All the languages that Neymar Jr. can speak along with their proficiency levels.
| Language | Level | Associated Club |
| Portuguese – Native Language | Fluent | Santos and Brazil National Team |
| Spanish | Good | FC Barcelona |
| Catalan | Good | FC Barcelona |
| French | Mid | PSG |
| Arabic | Beginner | Al Hilal SFC |
| English | Mid | – |
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