Brazilian star Neymar Jr. has once again made headlines, this time revealing details about Real Madrid’s aggressive pursuit of him before he signed with FC Barcelona in 2013.
Now back at Santos after a disappointing spell in Saudi Arabia, Neymar shared the story in an interview on the Podpah podcast, confirming that Florentino Pérez and Real Madrid offered him a blank check to secure his signing.
Real Madrid’s Bold Offer
According to Neymar, both Barcelona and Madrid made offers, but Los Blancos were willing to pay anything:
“Real Madrid’s proposal was practically a blank check. They told me, ‘Put the amount on paper, and we’ll pay it.’”
Additionally, he admitted that if he had joined Madrid, he would have earned three times more than at Barcelona.
Why Neymar Chose Barcelona Instead
Despite Madrid’s irresistible financial offer, Neymar ultimately followed his dream of playing alongside Messi and Ronaldinho:
“Florentino always liked me and spoke to me. He wanted me to play at Real Madrid. But my dream was to play at Barcelona. Ronaldinho, Messi… That was my dream, so I chose Barça.”
The Impact of Neymar’s Decision
Real Madrid’s failure to sign Neymar forced the club to look elsewhere for an attacking star. Their response? The record-breaking signing of Gareth Bale, who formed the legendary “BBC” trio alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.
While Neymar became a key part of Barcelona’s treble-winning MSN trio (Messi, Suárez, Neymar), Bale played a pivotal role in Real Madrid’s Champions League dominance, winning multiple UCL titles and scoring unforgettable goals—especially in finals.
What If Neymar Had Chosen Madrid?
Had Neymar accepted Madrid’s offer, the football world might have looked very different. Instead of the MSN era at Barcelona, we might have seen Neymar forming a partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo at Madrid, potentially shifting the balance of power in La Liga and the Champions League.
Now, as Neymar’s career winds down, this revelation adds another “what if” to football history—proving once again how one decision can change everything.
