A Billionaire Soccer Fan Just Left His Entire Fortune to a Player He’s Never Met
The sports world often delivers surprises tied to matches or transfers, but this story revolves around a will worth more than most clubs. Neymar Jr. has been named sole heir to a Brazilian billionaire’s fortune.
As of now, court approval remains pending, yet the will was properly filed and witnessed. Reports point to admiration for Neymar’s character and family values as the driving force behind the decision.
The Unlikely Billion-Dollar Inheritance
Image via iStockphoto/Liudmila Chernetska
In June 2025, a will was signed and registered in Porto Alegre that named Neymar Jr. as the sole heir to an estate valued at more than $1 billion. Witnesses confirmed the signing, and a deputy notary authenticated the process.
Media coverage notes that the businessman had no children or spouse, so legal heirs were absent. Even with formalities complete, Brazil’s courts still need to approve Neymar as the official inheritor. The figure itself has been disclosed differently depending on the outlet, with some citing the value in dollars and others in pounds sterling.
Regardless of conversion, the sum is staggering.
Motivation Behind the Decision
Details about the billionaire’s reasoning surfaced in reports carried by both Brazilian and Spanish media. The man admired Neymar’s strong relationship with his father and said that it reminded him of his own late father. Observers also suggested he saw humility in Neymar that appealed to him on a personal level.
The shocking thing is that the two had never met and had no common business interests. His decision reflected appreciation rather than any personal connection.
Neymar’s Career Context in 2025
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Alex Fau
The inheritance coincided with Neymar’s return to Santos, the club where his professional career began. After an injury-disrupted spell with Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia, he re-signed for Santos in January 2025.
His first spell with the club between 2009 and 2013 included the historic 2011 Copa Libertadores win and helped launch his move to European football. That early success propelled him to Barcelona, where he joined Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez in forming the “MSN” attack.
Years later, Paris Saint-Germain paid a sum of $263 million transfer fee for him, a record that still stands. At 33, Neymar remains Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 international goals.
Neymar’s Public Response So Far
Despite the attention, Neymar has not publicly commented on the estate. His statements this year focused instead on Santos and his personal decision to rejoin the club. In June 2025, he renewed his contract and shared remarks through Santos’ official website. He described the team as his home, his history, and the place where he grew from a boy into a professional athlete.
This silence about the matter left space for speculation, though it aligned with the idea that Neymar often highlights his identity and roots when speaking.