The talented Brazilian football player, known as Neymar “neymar-jr” Jr., nearly won the $5,200 Titans Event on PokerStars but had to settle for second place. Despite earning a respectable $66,056 for his efforts, Neymar will likely feel disappointed in himself for not securing the victory and adding yet another personal accomplishment to his already impressive resume.

On October 22, soccer superstar Neymar decided to try his hand at poker by participating in the Titans Event at PokerStars with a buy-in of $5,200. Despite recently signing a two-year deal worth $219 million annually, Neymar plays poker not for the money but for the thrill of winning, according to Rafael Moraes, a member of Team PokerStars. The tournament had a lower-than-usual turnout of 59 entries, resulting in only the top seven finishers receiving a portion of the $295,000 prize pool. Among the finalists was Jesper8, who failed to win any prize money, while Stumpfed finished seventh and received $12,837. Benjamin Rolle and Christian Rudolph were eliminated in sixth and fifth place, respectively, earning $17,814 and $24,720. Rajadanaativ from Brazil finished fourth and took home $34,304, while drew.derzh placed third and won an impressive $47,602.

In an exciting match, Neymar went head-to-head with Lithuania’s Mikolaitis, with a prize of $35,000 and the coveted title on the line. This was an unusual matchup as the two countries have never played against each other in soccer before. However, the competition took place in an unexpected location – the PokerStars tables. Although Neymar was unable to emerge victorious due to his injury, he managed to secure second place, which earned him $66,056. Mikolaitis was ultimately declared the winner and walked away with $91,663 as well as the unforgettable experience of defeating a world-famous soccer player.

Neymar has had multiple close calls with becoming a poker champion, not just during the Titans Event. In January 2022, he placed third in a $1,050 turbo event during the Winter Series and won $23,884. He also earned $125,678 for placing third in the $10,300 High Roller tournament. Later that year, Neymar participated in his first World Series of Poker (WSOP), but unfortunately failed to win any money in the $10,000 Limit Hold’em Championship. However, only a few days later, he finished in 49th place and won some cash in the $1,000 Super Turbo Bounty event. During this tournament, security almost kicked him out of the area as they did not know he was one of the players, but thankfully he was able to stay and earn his first WSOP cash.

During his recovery from ACL surgery, Neymar may find himself with some free time. It wouldn’t be surprising if the soccer superstar decides to attend the Brazilian Series of Poker (BSOP) Millions festival in Sao Paulo this November. In fact, Neymar placed sixth in a High Roller event at the 2018 festival, marking his first recorded live cash. Given that Neymar is recuperating in his hometown of Brazil, it would make sense for him to sharpen his poker skills while taking a break from soccer. Considering his affinity for glitz and glamour, it’s possible that he may also fancy the PokerStars NAPT Las Vegas series.