Neymar began playing football at an early age and he was soon spotted by Santos FC who offered him a contract in 2003, where he was inducted into their youth academy, which has, in the past, produced Brazilian internationals like Coutinho, Clodoaldo, Diego, Elano and Alex.
Neymar mulai bermain sepak bola pada usia dini dan dia segera ditemukan oleh Santos FC, ​​yang menawarinya kontrak pada tahun 2003, di mana ia dilantik ke akademi muda mereka, yang pada masa lalu telah memproduksi pemain internasional Brasil seperti Coutinho, Clodoaldo, Diego , Elano dan Alex.