The Covid-19 pandemic saw much of the sporting world grind to a halt last year, but after professional sport began to resume again in the summer, Neymar Jr has continued to entertain fans across the globe with some sensational performances. But it’s not just on the pitch that Neymar Jr has shone, as the Brazilian has helped to pay the salary of all 142 employees at the Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr, which is typically the home of the Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five World Finals.
After last year’s postponement, the world’s biggest five-a-side tournament, which offers a professional platform for global amateur football players, is back to celebrate its fifth edition. Teams from the UK will be able to register from Saturday 8th May, as they join teams from across the world in embarking on a journey they hope will take them all the way to the World Final later this year.
It’s all change this year as teams from the UK will have one shot at making the World Final. This will see the best ‘ballers’ from around the country descend on Battersea Powerleague in London on 6th June to battle it out – with both a winning men’s and women’s team then heading to the World Final in a bid to outplay them all and be crowned world champions.
Whilst the format remains the same – 10 minutes of intense action, no goalkeepers and teams losing a player every time the opposition scores – the world’s biggest and most exciting five-a-side tournament will be open to a wider group of age ranges, with 18-34-year-olds now being able to enter. Over the past four years more than 400,000 players from 75 countries and six continents have signed up.
In addition to lifting the coveted trophies, the prize for the winning teams will be a mouth-watering match against the Brazililan superstar himself and a hand-picked selection of world-class teammates.
Now it’s time for you to build your very own team of world-beaters and get ready to outplay them all. For more information, visit https://www.redbullneymarjrsfive.com/en and sign up your five-a-side team.
Alternative Sport Speaks With Neymar Jr
Ahead of Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five returning for its fifth edition, the Brazilian superstar sat down to discuss his aims for 2021, which players would make up his dream footballer and the dressing room pranks with PSG teammate Kylian Mbappé.
Neymar Jr on the fifth-year anniversary of the Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five and being able to see teams back competing at the Instituto…
Since the very beginning, the Red Bull Neymar Jr’s Five have always been something that excites me. It’s the fifth edition so wow, I’m pretty happy about welcoming the entire world in my country and at my Instituto. I hope that the World Final day comes soon!
Neymar Jr on his aims for 2021…
My plans for this year are to win every competition that I’ll take part in. I’m not sure if I will be playing the Olympic Games, but I know I love to win and I want to play as many competitions as possible. Let’s see what happens…
Neymar Jr on who would make up his perfect footballer…
Oh man…the perfect player?! [Should I consider myself or not?] I can consider myself, good. I think
the physicality of Cristiano Ronaldo, Ibrahimović’s elasticity, the heading game of Sergio Ramos, Mbappe’s speed, left leg of Messi, my right foot, Lewandowski’s positioning, the tackling of Kanté and the creation in the middle field of Verratti.
Neymar Jr on dressing room pranks at PSG…
There’s not one, there are so many! A funny one was with Mbappé. I had a water bottle in my hand, and I was pretending I was singing a song, a Brazilian song that he knows the lyrics [to]. When he was going to sing, I squeezed the bottle in his face. That was a good one!
Neymar Jr on who he thinks will be the next young Brazilian players to shine in Europe…
Gabriel Menino… there’s also Caio Jorge from Santos FC, he’s very talented. I’ve watched two matches of Libertadores where he was playing, he might shine in Europe. I also like Gerson from Flamengo very much. His time in Brazil has already passed, he needs to come to Europe! Gabigol can do a great job in Europe also. [There are] so many other players, but these four names are the main Brazilian players nowadays and they should play in Europe.
