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Neymar Jr Returns to his Roots for First Match of New Season

Neymar Jr. took to the field for the first time this season as the two strongest five‐a‐side football teams in the world were crowned at the Neymar Jr’s Five World Final in Praia Grande, Brazil.

 After 178 matches and 589 goals, Mexico and Brazil came out on top at the Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr. in the neighborhood where the Brazilian grew up.

 Then, a little over a week since his season ended in Russia, the Paris Saint‐Germain star laced up his boots once again to score his first goals of the new campaign. 

Here is all you need to know:

  • Neymar Jr.’s Five is the largest five‐a‐side football tournament in the world.
  • Mexico won all nine games they played, including a 5‐2 win over Argentina in the final, to land the title in the mixed competition.
  • The honor of being the first ever female world champions went to the home nation Brazil, who went unbeaten throughout the tournament and narrowly overcame Italy 1‐0 in a final which had to be settled by a 1v1 ‘golden goal’.
  • Neymar Jr watched the semi‐finals and finals from the stands with friends and family, before stepping onto the field with his own special team to face the world champions in two memorable matches.
  • The Brazilian said: “It makes me really proud and gives me an amazing happiness to bring all these countries, with different cultures, to know not only Brazil but also the Instituto and the area where I was raised. It felt really good to be at home after a lot of suffering. It was my first game after the World Cup and I am really happy to be here. I watched a lot of games and I am happy to see the competition growing, with a lot of teams taking part. Football is for everyone of all ages and for everyone that loves it. To make a championship that highlights that makes me really happy.”
  • Both world champion teams will get an exclusive behind the scenes trip to visit Neymar Jr at Paris Saint‐Germain.
  • Over 125,000 players signed up for a qualifier in this year’s competition as elite five‐a‐ side players battled it out in 62 countries across six continents.
  • There are five players on each team with no goalkeepers and, every time someone scores, their opponents lose one player until 10 frenetic minutes are up or one team runs out of players.
  • Deportivo Mago (Mexico) and Resenha 013 (Brazil) join Tao United from Romania (2017) and Anjos Da Bola from Brazil (2016) as winners of this prestigious event.
  • Close friend, fellow Brazilian, and PSG teammate Dani Alves also joined Neymar Jr. in attending the event as he continues his recovery from knee injury.
  • Watch the full highlights on Red Bull TV HERE

 


About Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr The location of the World Final, Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr, a private, non‐profit association dedicated to social causes, set up by Neymar Jr and his family. It is located in Jardim Glória, in Praia Grande, where Neymar Jr spent much of his childhood. The Institute is an 8,400m2 education and sporting complex catering for 2,470 underprivileged children aged 7‐14 and their families.

Competing Countries in 2018 Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Cyprus, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, England, France, Germany, Greece, Georgia, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Mauritius, Republic of Moldova, Mexico, Namibia, Northern Ireland, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, UAE, Ukraine, USA

Discover more Neymar Jr’s Five content HERE

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Tags: , , , Last modified: July 29, 2018