6 fantastic footballers who have grown up idolising Neymar: Rodrygo, Musiala…
Neymar has split opinion virtually ever since he burst onto the scene at Santos, but there are several brilliant footballers who can’t give him enough praise.
The Brazilian forward looked a world class prospect from the moment clips of him surfaced online and it wasn’t long before he’d swapped making a complete mockery out of veteran defenders in Brazil for a high-profile move to Barcelona, where he formed one third of one of football’s most iconic and lethal trios.
Nobody would ever have thought that a Ballon d’Or would’ve eclipsed him and that he’d be playing his football in Saudi Arabia at just 32. It’s a blemish on his CV, but for the man who had to shine in the shadow of Messi and Ronaldo, nothing was ever going to be enough.
True football purists appreciate Neymar to no end, as do the following six footballers, who have been on record with their admiration for the Brazilian.
Rodrygo
It’s absolutely no surprise that Rodrygo is inspired by Neymar, even despite his Real Madrid loyalties. Try and find us a 23-year-old Brazilian football fan who doesn’t idolise him, we dare you.
The winger has made no secret of his feelings about Neymar, telling ESPN Brazil as recently as September that he believes he’s still Brazil’s best player and is key if they wish to win the 2026 World Cup.
“I have no words. Everyone can see it, it’s clear how much he’s missed. He’s our star, our best player.”
“I love him. In addition to being my idol as a player, as a person he has shown himself to be a fantastic person.”
Estevao
The 17-year-old starlet is shining at Palmeiras and it looks as though Chelsea have managed to snap up a seriously elite prospect. And while he’s making a name for himself in his own right, he’s also heavily inspired by Neymar.
Estevao copied one of his iconic celebrations after breaking his record set for the most goal contributions in a single Brasileirao season before a player’s 18th birthday. Neymar managed 16 goals and assists for Santos in 2009; Estevao finished the season with 18 goals and assists combined in 2024.
Upon breaking the record, Neymar congratulated him online: “Congratulations Estêvão Willian for breaking the record! I hope you continue shining & enchanting people with your football.”
A full circle moment and a dream come true for the teenager.
Harvey Elliott
Another young baller although one you might not have expected, Elliott appears to have found his stride in a deeper-lying midfield role at Liverpool despite breaking through as a winger in his teenage years.
He’s cited Neymar as an inspiration on more than one occasion and in 2022 told the UMM YouTube channel: “I personally think he’s a great player and one of the best to ever play the game.”
Even as far back as 2020, Elliott was namedropping Neymar as a player he idolised and tried to model his own game around as a young player.
Angel Gomes
Since flying the nest and swapping Manchester United for Lille, Gomes has gone from potential world beater to star in his own right and has finally broken into the England senior squad for his efforts.
Deployed in a much deeper role in France, the Salford-born midfielder is freakishly press-resistant and has a vision to knit plays together seamlessly. In a recent interview, he was discussing how former United teammate Marcus Rashford has been an inspiration, but indirectly namedropped Neymar in the process.
Gomes revealed that he and Rashford used to live together and would watch clips of Neymar on YouTube in their downtime. We can’t blame them.
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Marcus Rashford
Yo Neymar, sunny innit?
Rashford himself has never outwardly stated that Neymar has served as an inspiration or an idol to him, but his old pal Angel dropped him in it in his recent interview during the international break when he revealed the pair used to watch Neymar highlights together.
Considering that and the fact that Rashford possesses immense flair when in full flow and brimming with confidence, that’s good enough for us to assume that the Brazilian has inspired the English forward.
Jamal Musiala
To put it bluntly, the Bayern Munich and Germany wonderkid is a complete Neymar fanboy. And we absolutely love him for it.
He’s copied the Brazilian’s celebrations from his Santos days, posed for a picture with him after Bayern Munich beat him and PSG in the 2020 Champions League final and waxed lyrical about him in the last few years.
Musiala told reporters in a press conference a few years ago that Neymar was the footballer he watched most, and told TNT Sport in a separate interview: “I’ve always loved Neymar from Santos, Barcelona, and all of Neymar’s phases.”
He’s Neymar mad.