Marcus Chan
Neymar’s penalty technique during his time with Santos was so good that FIFA eventually stepped in to ban it.
Since he was a youngster coming through at Santos, it was already clear that Neymar had a bundle of talent and skill in his locker.
His impressive performances in Brazil earned him a blockbuster move to Spanish La Liga giants Barcelona in 2013, before a world record move to Paris Saint Germain in 2017.
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Back when he was playing for Santos, he was often the man to step up whenever his side were awarded a penalty.
Neymar’s run up was second to none as he would stop right before making contact with the ball.
At this stage, the goalkeeper would move to one side and Neymar would then simply slot the ball into the other side.
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Although he didn’t use that technique on every occasion, it was captured at least five times. In total, it has been claimed by Transfermarkt that Neymar scored 11 out of 14 penalties he took for Santos.
However, Neymar was later forced to change his whole run up due to FIFA’s decision to ban the feint right before kicking the ball.
In 2010, a FIFA document said: “Feinting to kick the ball once the player has completed his run-up is considered an infringement of Law 14 and an act of unsporting behaviour for which the player must be cautioned.”
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Despite having to change one of his most famous run ups, Neymar still has a wonderful record from 12 yards.
According to Transfermarkt, Neymar has scored 63 out of 77 penalties he has taken in his career, which equates to a conversion rate of 81%.
His expertise from the spot led to him being awarded the highest penalty rating on EA Sports’ FIFA 22, with a score of 93.
Currently, Neymar is recovering from ankle surgery as his 22/23 season looks set to be over with PSG looking to retain their Ligue 1 crown.