Neymar Takes on Freshly Crowned 'Neymar Jr's Five' World Champions
A total of 47 teams from 44 countries had travelled to Neymar's childhood hometown: Praia Grande, Brazil, to square off to be world champions of the 'Neymar Jr's Five' tournament
- Reuters
- Updated: July 11, 2016 11:16 PM IST
![Neymar Takes on Freshly Crowned 'Neymar Jr's Five' World Champions](https://s.ndtvimg.com/images/content/2016/jul/806/neymar-selfie-1107.jpg)
Highlights
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Neymar and friends played against the champions of 'Neymar Jr's Five'
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The event was a five-a-side football tournament
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47 teams from 44 countries took part in the event
International football superstar, Neymar Jr and friends, including pop star Wesley Safadao and Brazilian National midfielder Lucas Lima, played a five-a-side team from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in a friendly football match after the Brazilian team became the first world champions of "Neymar Jr's Five".
"This is really about street football," Neymar Jr said. "It's where Brazilian football was born, and where I came from. It's the kind of match in which the ball never goes out so it never stops, and there are almost no rules. It's a kind of game cool to play and I was able to play a little bit today as well."
Under the Brazilian afternoon sun, the friendly five-a-side game was the cherry on top of "Neymar Jr's Five". With more than 65,000 players, 10,000 teams, from six continents having played over the last six months, the Neymar Jr's Five world final brought a new global tournament to an already phenomenal football summer with the Euro, Copa America, and the anticipated Olympics.
With Neymar Jr in the stands, the game had a fever and a tension unlike any of the other games. The final game against the Netherlands kept hundreds of fans at the "Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr" on their toes as the Brazilian finalists were not only a crowd favorite but also a favorite amongst the other teams.
The world champions have been life long friends, grew up in Rio's favelas and have always played football close to their homes.
"This event was so amazing with so many people from different cultures and languages interacting; it was a sensational mix of culture- it was surreal," said Brazil's captain Leandro Vianna de Paula Gomes. "Viva football because only football is able to promote something like this."
47 teams from 44 countries travelled to the Brazilian striker's childhood hometown: Praia Grande, Brazil, to square off to be world champion of Neymar Jr's Five tournament. Over the course of the weekend, the 47 international teams battled to win the world title just on the eve of the Euro finals, where France and Portugal will go head to head in Paris, France on Sunday 10 July 2016.
When asked about his predictions, Neymar Jr said, "It will be a very difficult match. Both teams had played very well, with two players playing in their best, both Griezmann and Ronaldo. It's going to be a good match and I believe France will win," Neymar Jr said.
The world final took place at the "Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr" in Praia Grande, SP Brazil a few weeks before Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics kicks off. The "Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr" is dedicated to helping 2470 local children aged 7 to 14 from Neymar Jr's childhood neighborhood, using a teaching methodology based on sports.