Neymar went on to become a superstar at Barcelona and the world's most expensive ever player upon joining Paris Saint-Germain, while Ganso suffered repeated injuries and has spent most of his career in Brazil, with a short and only occasionally successful spells with Sevilla and Amiens his only taste of European football to date.
Santos are pushing hard to bring the Fluminense midfielder back to Vila Belmiro after the best part of a decade away from the club, and in the process offer him what might prove his final chance to set his career back on track. It is not just the player who would benefit from the prospective loan move, which would begin just in time for the start of the Serie A season this weekend.
Santos reached the Libertadores final in January but their first appearance in the tournament decider since masked the woes of a club that was in dire financial straits, haemorrhaging money as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. And since that final defeat to rivals Palmeiras, the mood on the pitch has largely matched that of the boardroom. Coach Cuca left after the Copa, and Argentine replacement Ariel Holan lasted barely two months in the post before quitting when disgruntled Santos fans bombarded his apartment building with firecrackers and daubed its walls with threatening messages.
Those supporters were protesting against a catastrophic Paulista state campaign which saw the Peixe eliminated in the first round, winning just three of their 12 games.
Ultimately, Ganso must take some responsibility for the downturn of his career. The last six years should have been his best, but those eye-catching performances of his early twenties remain his pinnacle. Nonetheless, any critical judgment of the Brazilian will always be influenced by his personal and professional association with Neymar.
And in that regard, he faces an impossible battle. Can you name the last 20 players to break the world transfer record? Clarence Seedorf in Brazil: A perfect swansong in his football utopia. What happened to Ganso, the goose with too few golden eggs? Have you noticed how wonderkids often come in pairs? It makes sense but usually works to the detriment of the second wonderkid.
Despite a nationwide campaign for their inclusion—which included a TV crew pitching up outside coach Dunga's house to record a live show, a statement from a front-running presidential candidate, and billboards calling for them to make the squad—the exciting pair were left out of the final list. At the turn of the decade, they were striking fear into rival centre-backs and establishing themselves as the new deadly duo coming through at Santos—a long-standing tradition at the club that started with Pele and Coutinho's formidable partnership in the '50s and '60s, continued with Pita and Juary in the '70s, and carried on with Diego Ribas and Robinho in the early s.
As surprising as it may sound now, many were convinced that Ganso was the one destined for fortune and fame, not Neymar. A tall, elegant, cerebral number 10, he was instantly recognised as something special in Brazilian football—an old-fashioned midfielder who seemed capable of dictating the tempo and slowing the game to his pace.
He was a joy to watch and caught the eye of the legendary Socrates, who said he was the greatest player produced by Brazil in a decade. Ganso embraced the hype, he didn't distance himself from " left-footed Zidane " labels—instead, he was never afraid to endorse them in interviews. Ganso now plays in Zidane's homeland of France, but such comparisons seem a distant memory.
He is now trying to relaunch his career at Ligue 1 minnows Amiens after arriving on a season-long loan from Sevilla in August. On Saturday, the year-old will travel kilometres with his new club to Paris to face his former pal Neymar's Paris Saint-Germain team at the Parc des Princes.
An emotional reunion is assured, even though Neymar is now set to watch from the stands after being granted a rest by PSG coach Thomas Tuchel. Although their relationship is not as strong as it used to be, the duo have always been like family to each other—Ganso is the godfather of Neymar's seven-year-old son Davi Lucca and invited the forward to be one of his best men at his wedding.
The two of them were inseparable in the past. A four-time Brazilian champion, Muricy Ramalho worked with both players between and and still smiles when he speaks about his former proteges. Neymar deserved it. Of course, I would never say no to a request like that. But taking the godfather with him? Summer Camp Summer Camp. Share article. La Liga 26 Titles. Copa Del Rey 31 Trophies. Main Partners. View All Partners. Follow FC Barcelona on social media.
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