Officially… Neymar’s family acquires the brand of the legend Pele

The family company of Brazilian football player Neymar Santos Junior has acquired the trademark of the legend Pele, after the company owned by his father announced the purchase of the commercial rights.

In a ceremony held at the Pele Museum in Santos, Brazil, Neymar Santos Sr. confirmed the purchase of these rights through his sports agency, NR Sports, which will be able to exploit the name and image of the late Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known as “Pele,” commercially.

“We feel proud of achieving this achievement,” Santos Sr. said, adding, “I think it is a very strong brand. We want to strengthen its identity and move it into the present.”

The financial details of the deal were not revealed due to confidentiality agreements with the previous owner, the American company “Sport 10”, but Brazilian media reports stated that the value of the deal amounted to $18 million.

Pele is widely considered the best footballer of all time, and led Brazil to World Cup victories in 1958, 1962 and 1970.

“This is the beginning of an inspiring project for us,” Neymar Santos Sr. continued. “We are very impressed.”

For his part, Neymar Jr. said in a promotional video released when the brand acquisition was announced, “Some are born to play, others are born to change the game. Pele was born to change everything.”

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker continued, “Pele never stopped being one of us, and he is now officially part of Brazil, again and forever.”

Flavia, the daughter of the Brazilian legend who died in December 2022, attended the handover ceremony of his brand.

“I have no words to describe my feeling of the return of a brand that embodies spirit, humanity and love. It is priceless… As his daughter, I feel proud and happy,” Flavia told AFP.

Pele’s family tried to buy the brand after his death, but their attempts failed. The company was criticized for its wider reach in the United States than in Brazil.

A message published Tuesday on the official accounts of Pele and NR Sports, which was accompanied by a video showing some of the goals of the former Santos star, said, “Brazil speaks many languages,” but “it has always had a universal language: its name is Pele.”

NR Sports described the acquisition as “the return of one of the greatest icons in the history of global sports.”

“It represents a decisive step towards preserving, expanding and enriching the legacy of the King of Football,” she added.