How Neymar inherited $1 billion from a billionaire he didn’t know

Brazilian superstar Neymar is probably one of the most unusual surprises in football history, a huge £846 million ($11.1 billion) of property left to him by a billionaire he has never seen. According to Brazilian media RIC, the businessman, believed to be from Alegre Porto, formalized his will on June 12, with two witnesses present.

The will, now awaiting approval from the Brazilian court, shockingly refers to Neymar as the sole heir to his vast estate. It is said that the billionaire is said to be children and single, and is said to have a deep recognition of Neymar on a personal level. Local reports suggest he admired the players’ strong family relationships, especially his relationship with his father, Neymar Sr., which reminded him of his late father. Neymar, 33, has not yet commented on the report publicly. But if approved, the fortune will immediately rank one of the weirdest sports legacies.

The Brazilian winger returned to childhood club Santos in January after being injured with Saudi side Al-Hilal, and has been working to rebuild his career ahead of the next World Cup. In his first match in Santos between 2009 and 2013, Neymar scored 136 goals in 225 games before moving to Europe. Since returning, he has added three more goals in 14 games. In June, Neymar renewed his contract with Santos, declaring: “Santos is not only my team, it is my home, my roots, my history and life. Here, I am a boy, I became a man, I am truly loved, I can really be myself, I am really happy, and I want to realize my dream of missing in my career here.”