The documents and local press reports say the decision was motivated in part by the businessman’s admiration for Neymar’s family ties, including the player’s relationship with his father, Neymar Sr., which the testator said reminded him of his own late father.
The matter is subject to review by Brazilian courts before any transfer of assets could be completed, and legal experts noted the inheritance would be subject to taxes and could trigger disputes, according to press accounts. Neymar, who returned to Brazil this year to rejoin his boyhood club Santos, has not publicly commented on reports about the will. Media coverage noted the player remains a high-earning figure in world soccer and has expressed hopes of representing Brazil at next year’s World Cup.
The extraordinary inheritance has drawn widespread attention in Brazil, where reports said the unidentified businessman made clear in the legal document that he was “in full judgment, free from any coercion or inducement” when he named Neymar his heir.
How much is Neymar worth?
Estimates of Neymar’s wealth predating the inheritance vary widely and depend on whether observers count only his reported earnings or also the value of his endorsements, property, and investments. Forbes lists Neymar among the world’s highest-paid athletes, reporting roughly $76 million in earnings for the May 2024–May 2025 period. Independent wealth trackers such as Celebrity Net Worth place his overall net worth at about $350 million, a figure that reflects salary, bonuses, and long-running endorsement deals.
Brazilian media coverage of the will at the center of the recent headlines estimates the deceased man’s estate at roughly R$6.1–6.2 billion, reported by several outlets as the equivalent of about US$1.0–1.1 billion, a windfall that, if approved by Brazilian courts and transferred in full, would more than double many publicly cited estimates of Neymar’s existing fortune.
Analysts caution, however, that headline figures do not account for taxes, legal fees, or potential estate disputes that could substantially reduce any payout. Even without the contested inheritance, Neymar’s combination of club salary, sponsorship income, and business interests places him consistently among the world’s best-paid athletes.
