Neymar wins Samba d’Or for the third successive year

Neymar da Silva Santos Junior has won the Samba Gold award, also known as Samba d'Or, and it is the sixth time the Brazilian playmaker bagged the prize in nine years.

Photo: Twitter

The award, inaugurated in 2008 in which Kaka won, is given to the best Brazilian footballer of the year in Europe -- based on votes from journalists, footballers and Sambafoot's online readers. Neymar, who turned 31 on Sunday, had also been the recipient of the Samba d'Or for 2014, 2015, 2017, 2020, and 2021.  

Lionel Messi attends Neymar's 31st birthday celebration. Photo: Twitter

Neymar had an impressive run for his club Paris Saint-Germain and national side last year. He registered 12 goals and 10 assists in 18 appearances in 2022 for PSG in Ligue 1 -- including three Player-of-the-Match awards -- and in the process was key to the French club in sealing their 10th league title.    

The Brazil No.10 took his form to the Qatar World Cup, and despite breaking the deadlock with a flash of brilliance against Croatia in the dying stage of quarter-finals, Brazil had to bow out from the showpiece event as Croatia pulled off a last-gasp equaliser and eventually had the last laugh following tie-breakers.

Dani Alves and Leo Perisic, son of Croatia forward Ivan Perisic, consoles Neymar after the 2022 World Cup quarter-final match between Brazil and Croatia on December 09, 2022. Photo: Twitter

Neymar, who scored two goals and gave one assist in three games, spanned across 282 minutes, was all but inconsolable after his anti-climactic end to the year.