Brazilian football superstar Neymar Jr. is no stranger when it comes to expressing how he really feels about things. It includes that one time when he showed us that he was really, really hurt by rolling on the floor. Although his time at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain has had its ups and downs, the Brazilian striker is now saying he’s happy at PSG after years of tantrum. But one thing is constant: his love for video games.
Neymar is one of the few sports celebrities who broadcast their playing video games on the platform Twitch. His favorite genre is First-person Shooter, as evidenced by the many streams of “Counter-Strike: Global Offensive” (CS:GO) and “Call of Duty” on his account. He has many times expressed his fondness for CS: GO and has even achieved a pretty high rank on it.
But how much he enjoys video games goes beyond just simply streaming and talking about video games. Let’s have a look at 4 examples that show his love for gaming is unique for a football superstar.
Neymar skipped the 2018 Ballon d’Or ceremony to stream video games
Remember when Real Madrid ace Luka Modric won the Ballon d’Or and ended the streaks of Messi and Ronaldo? Neymar didn’t, because he was streaming himself playing “Call of Duty” and “Battlefield” when that event was taking place. The Brazilian star was enjoying his leisurely time with his PSG teammates, Marquinhos and Thiago Silva.
2018 was a year not too successful for the Brazilian star who was placed at the 12th position in consideration for the Ballon d’Or. So what if other players were above him in the game of football for that year? They won’t be placed above him when it comes to video gaming skills, that’s for sure.
Neymar likes to show off in front of a computer as much as on a football pitch
Neymar’s natural talent in football is recognized around the world. The Brazilian often uses his magic feet to dribble past defenders before they could process what just happened. Interestingly enough, he also really likes to show off his quickness and skills in video games.
On an Instagram post, the Brazilian striker puts up footage of himself handling the AWP on CS:GO like a pro. What begins as a 2v5 situation turns into 1v4 with Neymar becoming the sole member on his team. But he still manages to take out 3 enemies with the AWP sniper rifle, then plants the bomb at B before knifing the last opponent.
Neymar loves to get his football teammates onboard with gaming
CS:GO has a near-religious following in Brazil, and some of the best players and teams are from there, too. Therefore, it’s no surprise that Neymar is a keen follower of the iconic First-Person Shooter. What stands out is how much he likes to get his teammates involved with CS:GO whenever possible.
When Neymar scored the 1st goal in Brazil’s 2-0 victory over Mexico in the Round of 16 of the 2018 World Cup, he didn’t waste an opportunity to involve CS:GO in his celebration. The Brazilian star gathered his teammates and pretended to throw a flashbang grenade. This prompted them to join in and shielded their eyes like in the game for the celebration.
Then after the match, Neymar and his friends took their time off to relax with more rounds of, you guessed it, CS:GO. An Instagram story on his profile clearly reveals the Brazilian teammates enjoying their free time together. The usernames included “Menino Ney” who is Neymar himself, “J-E-S-U-S” for Gabriel Jesus, and “coutinho11” for the playmaker Coutinho.
Neymar loves his streamers just like you do
During a PSG game when Neymar couldn't play over an injury, he went up the stands to meet with one of his favorite streamers, Ninja. He was nursing an injury at the time but could still walk up to see the Fortnite streamer at the Parc des Princes stadium, before giving him a hug.
You can tell by his reactions that he was excited to meet with Ninja, and greeted him as any fan would towards their favorite celebrity. The two even had a Fortnite gaming event back in December 2018.