The Brazilian soccer phenom and PokerStars ambassador made it to the final two
Neymar Jr. nearly added a major poker title to his resume this week while much of the sporting world was focused on the Ballon d’Or ceremony. The Brazilian star, who has become an active figure in the online poker scene as a PokerStars ambassador, made a deep run in the $5,200 Titans Event #73-H during the 2025 World Championship of Online Poker (WCOOP).
The tournament drew 112 entries and built a prize pool of $560,000, with $129,043 reserved for the eventual champion. Neymar had come close before, finishing seventh in a similar event earlier in the series, but this time he advanced all the way to heads-up play with a chance to secure his first WCOOP title.
Neymar’s path to the final table included a surge into the chip lead as big names like Adrian Mateos and Pascal Lefrancois fell short. By the time play reached seven-handed, he had pulled well ahead of the field. He built an overwhelming advantage against his remaining opponents, including Nikita “Ebaaa11” Kuznetcov and “NotmystyIe,” who would ultimately prove to be his toughest obstacle.
Momentum began to shift when Neymar lost key pots late in the match. A tank-call gone wrong and a river bluff that backfired trimmed his lead. He then doubled up Kuznetcov, handing more chips to his rivals. NotmystyIe capitalized on these moments, first knocking out Kuznetcov and then grinding his way back into contention.
The decisive hand came on a diamond-heavy board when Neymar shoved with a flush draw but ran into NotmystyIe’s flopped straight. The draw missed, leaving Neymar on the ropes. Shortly after, all the chips went in preflop with Neymar holding ace-four suited against king-queen. The board ran clean for his opponent, ending Neymar’s run.
Neymar collected $99,075 for second place, while NotmystyIe secured the victory and $129,043. It wasn’t the title Neymar hoped for, but his performance showed once again that he is more than just a celebrity dabbling in poker.
