Neymar Reveals Why He Rejected Real Madrid ‘Blank Cheque’

Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar revealed why he rejected a “blank check” from Real Madrid to join its bitter rival FC Barcelona while appearing on the Podpah podcast.

The Santos-produced prodigy is now back with the Sao Paulo state coastal club that also gave the world Pele and Rodrygo.

In the early 2010s, however, upon his rise to global prominence, he was wanted by a number of European heavyweights falling over themselves to land Brazil’s most talked up talent of the time.

On the Podpah podcast, Neymar recalled that time in history. “Real Madrid’s offer was a blank check, they told me that I could have whatever I wanted,” he said.

“But I loved Barca with my heart. At Real Madrid I would have earned three times as much money. Florentino [Perez] always liked me. But Ronaldinho had played there [at Barca] and I wanted to play with [Lionel] Messi.”

Neymar further revealed that “I almost went to Bayern [Munich]

”, with Pep Guardiola leaving Barca to take a one-year sabbatical and then lead the Bavarians in 2013.

“After winning the Puskas prize, my father called me at two in the morning. I answered and he told me to open the door… I was in my underpants. There was my father, Pep Guardiola and the translator! Pep told me: ‘I want to sign you and take you with me, no matter which club I go to. I’ll make you the best player in the world’.

“He showed me a piece of paper, opened his laptop, and told me where I would play… Pep also said: ‘If you don’t score 60 goals in a season, I’ll change my name’. I said: ’Okay, but what team? Pep told me he couldn’t tell me, but I convinced him and he told me: ‘I’ll sign for Bayern’.

“In the end I decided to sign for Barcelona,” Neymar added, further claiming that he “helped Messi take penalties”.

“I can confirm that the Olympic goal was intentional,” Neymar stated, as per his strike from a corner kick for Santos recently. “I was thinking… Man, if I score this, their fans will see it. I scored and then I turned to them and said: ‘Well, what now?’

On a six-month contract at Santos, Neymar remains linked with a possible return to Barca in the summer.