Neymar's weight gain is the result of dedication... here's his development

Neymar's weight gain is the result of dedication... here's his development

The first year was to adapt. He started poorly in truth, largely because he was recovering from the removal of his tonsils and two injuries. There was also the kerfuffle over his transfer which weighed on his shoulders. After the first season, Neymar can finally show all his quality wearing the No 11 shirt. 

The World Cup marked a turning point. Until the knee of Colombian Juan Zuniga ended his tournament, he had been the best player on show, certainly in Brazil's team. At 22, he took all the responsibility for Brazil's progress on the chin. The 7-1 defeat by Germany happened while he was out injured and he left the tournament with his head held high, even though their knock-out still stung him. 

Neymar returned from holiday, still recovering, with a clear objective. And so far, he is doing it. "This is going to be my year, I will perform more," he said. 

He has 11 goals in 11 games and has scored in each of the last six. Though his last goal, against Madrid, did not help much given the defeat, but it shows he can perform on the big stage for Barcelona. 

Neymar 2.0 is more mature, and physically strong, like a bull. During his time at Santos he wanted to gain muscle mass but his trainer Ricardo Rosa feared that he might lose some of his speed. 

The medical department and trainers at Barcelona believed he had to gain bulk. His tonsils were removed by Dr Caesar Augustus, to not just stop an infection but also to help him gain weight. Now you see the results. He weights nearly five kilos more. 

"It's not so I can boast, that doesn't interest me," the 22-year-old said. "It's so I can be more efficient. What I want is to be the best on the pitch; it doesn't matter if people see me as good looking or not."

The physical evolution of Neymar can be compared to other Brazilians, like Ronaldo and Ronaldinho and even Lionel Messi. Neymar is a disciplined player. He strictly follows what the club dictates. He has gained 5kg. In the year ahead he plans to gain the same again.