Winning Ballon d'Or Would Net Neymar Huge Bonus From PSG
Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar is reportedly in line to receive a €3m bonus from the club if he wins the Ballon d'Or in December, recognizing the Brazilian as the best player in the world.
Neymar was named on the 30-man shortlist for the sport's most prestigious individual prize, handed out by magazine France Football, earlier this month.
According to Le Parisien, collecting the trophy will entitle Neymar to a €3m windfall. And it wouldn't be a one-off either, as his contract, which runs to 2022, apparently stipulates that he will get another €3m each and every time he wins the Ballon d'Or in the coming seasons.
Le Parisien notes that €3m is the equivalent of a whole month's net pay for Neymar and so would come as a sizeable and welcome addition to his bank balance.
Speaking last year, Neymar admitted the Ballon d'Or is a target for him. "To win the Ballon d'Or is something that I've set as a goal, it would be a personal victory. But I'm not in a hurry," he said.
Only last week, PSG coach Unai Emery also revealed that Neymar's new club-mates and coaches are actively trying to help him win the Ballon d'Or.
"Neymar is a player with many qualities -he is able to win the Ballon d'Or. We want the best for him and to help him win this trophy," Emery said at a press conference before the weekend.
Winning the Ballon d'Or is certainly no easy achievement, though. Neymar finished third behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in 2015 and no individual other than those two has won the award since 2007 when Kaka received the accolade.
After La Liga and Champions League success with Real Madrid last season, Ronaldo is once more the hot favourite to take home a fifth career Ballon d'Or this time around.
Neymar will also be going up against Ronaldo and Messi in the Best FIFA Men's Player stakes next week after being named on the final three-man shortlist of the breakaway award.
