Neymar Has an International Star Day in Barcelona

06/04/2013 - 08h35

On Monday, 56,000 fans faced long lines, delays and hot sun to attend Neymar's first appearance with the Barcelona jersey.

He was received as a major star on the Camp Nou field and recompensed fans with a 14-minute show: he did kick ups, ran around the field and promised love to his new team in memorized sentences in Catalan.

In his first speech, he showed modesty and said he will help Argentina's Lionel Messi to continue as the world's number one player.

Neymar was presented as the second most expensive player in Barcelona's history. The team says it paid 57 million Euros (US$ 74.6 million) to hire him from Santos.

He will receive 7 million Euros a year (some US$ 9 million) and signed a five-year contract.

Albert Olivé/Efe

Neymar da Silva in his first appearance with the Barcelona jersey

Any team that wants to hire him from Barcelona before the end of the contract will have to pay a 190 million-Euro penalty (US$ 248.8 million). The penalty to hire Messi, who also has a contract until 2018, before the end of his contract is some 250 million Euros (nearly US$ 327.3 million).

On Barcelona, the amount is only below the purchase of Ibrahimovic, in 2009 for some 70 million Euros (US$ 97.8 million). Ibrahimovic also holds the record for most people attending his presentation: 60,000 people went to the Camp Nou.

Neymar won over the crowd with an initial greeting in the local language: "Bona tarda a tothom", he said.

Barcelona fans, who had been provoking Real Madrid since earlier that day for losing the dispute over Neymar, received the player's statements like goals.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

Read the article in the original language