Neymar Jr gets Santos FC tribute at Memorial das Conquistas | OneFootball

A historic day for football fans around the world, and also for the Boy from Vila, for the star, for the idol, for the Prince of Vila. This Thursday (30), Santos FC inaugurated a space dedicated to Neymar Jr. inside the Memorial of Achievements. The new attractions are a bust, a statue, and an autographed jersey.The event was attended by members of the Management Committee, Eternal Idols, guests, and family members of the honoree.

“We are immortalizing in this sacred space the name of an athlete who is the current top scorer for the Brazilian National Team, having played in four World Cups and worn the sacred number 10 shirt. For us, it is a source of pride and at the same time an obligation to hold an event like this, in the presence of his family and everyone who helped him get to where he is today. This tribute will not be just a tourist attraction, and I am sure that everyone who looks at this space will see it in a much deeper way. It is more than deserved that we are here today to recognize his journey,” said Marcelo Teixeira, president of Santos FC.

“Being at the Memorial is always rewarding, and it is a great honor to be part of the history of Santos FC. Since I was little, I came through Vila Belmiro, I came through the Memorial, and I always wanted, in some way, to be present here. Whether through titles, assists, or a historic goal. All of us who were youth academy players dreamed of this, and today, being honored in this way. I already had other tributes here, but this one will also be very special. I’m very happy. Santos FC is the team of my heart and it will always be my home. This is a gift for me, but also for my family, who are all Santos supporters. I am very happy to be part of the history of the team I love, and I hope more and more to make our fans happy in some way,” highlighted Neymar Jr.

“It is always a challenge to portray someone, and here we are portraying a person, an idol, and an athlete. It is a challenge not only because of what he represents, in terms of achievements, goals, and glory, but also because of the image fans and supporters have of him. The intention was always not just to portray the athlete, but to portray the role model he is for the new generation, for the boys who dream of playing football and who will see in him the reference for the beautiful game. As an artist, I feel honored to portray all that this means, keeping that flame alive,” added Renato Guedes, the author of the works.

For Santos FC, the Prince of Vila played 276 matches across two spells, scoring 158 goals and currently ranks among the club’s ten all-time top scorers, sitting in ninth place.

(Photos: Raul Baretta/Santos FC)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.