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The world’s most expensive player confirmed the sponsorship transfer in an open letter posted on social media.
PARIS – Neymar signed a sponsorship deal with Puma to become the German sportswear giant’s new global poster on Saturday, two weeks after the Brazilian superstar parted ways with his sponsor Nike.
“Welcome to the @neymarjr #KingIsBack family,” Puma tweeted along with a photo of the Paris Saint-Germain forward, dressed in his new ‘club’ marketing apparel.
The world’s most expensive player confirmed the sponsorship transfer in an open letter posted on social media.
“I grew up watching videos of great soccer legends like Pelé, Cruyff, Eusebio and Maradona … who each played for Puma.
“For these reasons, starting today, I am honored to join the brand that helped the greatest football legends become what they are,” he wrote.
Neither Neymar nor Puma gave details of the duration of the contract or how much it was worth.
“Neymar Jr … is a brand ambassador on and off the field,” the company told AFP, emphasizing confidentiality around the contract.
The move represents a significant change for the 28-year-old after leaving Nike, his sponsors since he was a 13-year-old prodigy.
📝 In my own words.@pumafootball @COUGAR #King is back pic.twitter.com/ZdOrjKv06r
– Neymar Jr (@neymarjr) September 12, 2020
PUMA STATUE
The news that an agreement had been reached was first published by the Brazilian sports site Esporte Interativo, which is known for revealing the story of Neymar’s transfer from Barcelona to PSG in 2017.
Citing “exclusive information,” he said details about the deal and Neymar’s first promotional appearances for Puma were expected “in the next few days.”
Neymar appeared to drop hints that the deal was close, Esporte Interativo said.
He recently followed Puma, PumaFootball and eight other accounts associated with the brand on Instagram, posting a photo of himself Thursday with what appeared to be a statue of a cougar in the background.
Neymar’s last deal with Nike was reportedly an 11-year contract through 2022 worth a total of $ 105 million (€ 88 million).
Forbes magazine, which ranks him as the seventh highest-paid celebrity in the world, estimates his earnings for this year at $ 95.5 million, including endorsement deals.
At Nike, the world’s leading sportswear company with a turnover of 39.1 billion euros in 2019, Neymar was one of the many sports stars including LeBron James, Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappé.
With his new ‘family’ Puma will instantly assume a leadership role in marketing alongside six-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton.
For the German firm, whose sales fell more than 16% in the first quarter of 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the capture of Neymar should pay dividends in the medium term.
Neymar is a fitting replacement for another world sports star in the Puma family, but now retired: Usain Bolt.
PSG paid a record € 222 million for his transfer from Barcelona in 2017.
With his slim appearance, tattoos, ever-changing hairstyles and a large following on social media, Neymar is one of the biggest names in sports and beyond, although his brand has been tarnished at times.
On the pitch, critics accuse him of diving into games. Off the court, he has faced allegations of tax fraud and a rape charge in 2019.
The Brazilian police subsequently dismissed the latest case, citing a lack of evidence.
He was forced to miss PSG’s Ligue 1 season opener on Thursday after testing positive for Covid-19 following a vacation in Ibiza following PSG’s Champions League final defeat to Bayern. from Munich.
Despite his move, Neymar’s ties to Nike are not completely severed as he will continue to wear the brand when playing for two of his clients, Brazil and PSG, on the field.
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