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Neymar is back in the spotlight of the football world after returning to Santos, where he is slowly taking on the role of leader on the pitch. And while speculation is growing about a possible return to Barcelona this year, the Brazilian revealed in a recent podcast why he chose the Catalans in 2013, despite big offers from other European giants such as Real Madrid and Bayern.
As a teenager, Neymar looked great in the Santos jersey and was the subject of interest from the biggest European clubs. In the summer of 2013, he decided to make a step to Europe, and the only question was which club he would sign for. In the end, he chose Barcelona, and that decision turned out to be the right one, because he achieved extraordinary success in his first years.
Barcelona paid an incredible 90 million euros for him, and during his four years of playing for the Catalan club, he won almost everything there was to win. However, while Barcelona was the obvious choice, Neymar admitted that he had incredible offers from other clubs, including Real Madrid and Bayern, who offered him far higher salaries.
Why he chose Barcelona
"I never doubted my decision," says Neymar, who admitted that he had been offered huge financial sums, and that Real Madrid even put a blank check in front of him, asking only for the amount he wanted.
However, Neymar said: "Even if I would have earned three times as much in Madrid, my dream was to play alongside Messi and Ronaldinho."
Although he admitted that he was very attracted by offers from other clubs, in the end he followed his heart.
Now, back at Santos and returning to his best form, Neymar has made no secret of his desire to return to Barcelona, although his journey to PSG, which began in 2017, has brought many ups and downs.
Neymar's return?
Given his comeback form at Santos, many believe a return to Barcelona is a realistic option. However, whether his dream of playing with Messi again will come true remains to be seen.
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