Did you Know?
This shirt was worn by Neymar during the Champions League game between Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain which took place in Napoli, “San Paolo” Stadium, on November 6th 1018. PSG draw 1-1 and Neymar swapped his shirt after the game with a Napoli’s player whom we got it from. On 3 August 2017, Barcelona announced that Neymar’s legal representatives made a payment of €222 million to the club, equal to the release clause of his contract, which constituted the most expensive transfer ever. The club informed UEFA so that they can determine any disciplinary responsibilities that may arise from this case. According to the BBC, in Spain, the release clause must be activated by the footballer himself. The situation was unusual, in that the fee was paid to the club directly, after La Liga had refused to receive the payment. Usually, the buyout clause is deposited with La Liga in order to release the player from his contract, and the league then passes the money to the selling club. However, La Liga rejected the payment—citing violation of Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules by PSG, who are backed by money from Gulf state Qatar. Neymar joined French club Paris Saint-Germain on a contract that would run until 2022. He was offered the number 10 jersey by Javier Pastore as a “welcome gift”. On 27 August 2017, FC Barcelona filed a lawsuit against Neymar, demanding he return the contract renewal bonus he received as well as €8.5 million in damages and an additional 10% for the arrears. They claimed they are owed money that Neymar received as part of a renewal bonus when he signed a new contract in 2016. The club also requested Paris Saint-Germain to take on the responsibility for the payment of the fees if the player cannot do so himself. Neymar’s lawyers announced that they will contest the case. In the 2018/2019 season, on 12 August 2018, Neymar scored PSG’s opening league goal in a 3–0 win over Caen at Parc des Princes. Neymar scored from a penalty in his next game as PSG won 3–1 against Guingamp in Ligue 1. In the following league game, the front three of Neymar, Mbappé and Cavani all scored in a 3–1 win over Angers at home, with Neymar scoring from Mbappé’s cut back and setting up Cavani to score the opener. On 3 October 2018, Neymar scored a hattrick in a 6–1 win over Red Star Belgrade in a Champions League group stage fixture. He suffered a foot injury in late January 2019 that kept him out of his side’s Champions League round of 16 tie against Manchester United F.C. After United eliminated PSG, Neymar went on Instagram insulting video review officials for awarding a stoppage-time penalty to United. UEFA banned Neymar for three matches for the insult. On 27 April 2019, Neymar scored in the 2019 Coupe de France Final against Rennes, but Rennes made a comeback and won on penalties. After the match, Neymar was caught on video appearing to punch a spectator in the face. The spectator had been filming and insulting PSG players. PSG said they supported Neymar “100 percent” over the incident. Neymar admitted he was wrong, but argued that neither he nor anyone else could have stayed indifferent. PSG coach Thomas Tuchel responded: “It’s not easy to climb the stairs after a defeat. If we lose, we must show respect. You can’t come into conflict with a spectator.”
Things to Know:
In the 2018/2019 season, after much muted hype and extreme anticipation, Nike have officially launched the Jordan Brand x Paris Saint-Germain collection. After a series of product teases through the likes of Justin Timberlake and Travis Scott, the collection now hits Paris with full Jumpman flight. In the last few years prior the collection’s launch, Jordan Brand has been a growing presence in Paris. A Jordan-only store — Jordan Bastille — opened in 2016, and in 2017 the brand announced a partnership with the French Basketball Federation. These examples buttress a long-standing, organic relationship between brand and city, which began with Michael Jordan’s first visit in 1985. That connection has been retained through the decades, highlighted by continued support of the Quai 54 World Streetball Championship. So in the 2018/20198 season PSG became the first football club to have a Jordan Brand collection. “Jordan Brand and Paris Saint-Germain share a distinct position in sport and style, so to partner with the club is a natural fit,” says Michael Jordan.
