Neymar

Superstar striker Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior, usually known simply as Neymar, joined French champions Paris Saint-German from Barcelona for a world record transfer fee of €222 million in 2017. The move did not work out as envisaged, for either party, but the Brazilian – who has scored more goals for his country than anyone bar Pele or Ronaldo – remains one of the most exciting footballing talents on the planet.

While many take the online gambling casino approach, at still only 27, Neymar has just over $21,000 in live earnings as a poker player, all of which he collected when finishing sixth of 288 entrants in the R$7,000 No Limit Hold’em – High Rollers event in the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) in Sao Paulo in 2018. However, according to his friend, and coach, Andre Akkari – a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet winner in 2011 – Neymar is intent on becoming a professional poker player at the end of his football career and plays studiously, even in the private games he hosts at home.

Neymar made his PokerStars debut in the at the European Poker Tour (EPT) $25,000 High Roller event at Casino Barcelona, playing alongside then teammate Gerard Pique, in 2012. He officially joined Team PokerStars in 2015, appearing alongside Christiano Ronaldo in a series of television advertisements, but left in 2017 when PokerStars retired their entire roster of brand ambassadors. He also appeared in the WSOP in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, famously winning a seat at the WSOP Main Event in 2016.