'Neymar: The Perfect Chaos' an exercise in image control

Neymar

Documentary (English/Netflix)

Rating: 2.5/5

There is a painting in Neymar's house - a face that is half Batman and half Joker.

With the ball at his feet, he makes the world swoon over him. Expectations of a nation and club weighs heavily on his slender shoulders. That’s the Batman part. But it's the Joker persona marked with the antihero, selfish, party animal, prima donna sides of him, that hits the headlines.

The world loves a bad guy. Even more, when it's a good ‘bad’ guy as Neymar is a supremely talented footballer.

The latest three-part Netflix documentary 'Neymar: The Perfect Chaos' is one among the series of colour-corrected, gloomy sporting documentaries that has populated the streaming platforms. This is increasingly becoming an exercise in image control.

There are shots of Neymar as a young boy, a street footballer who quickly becomes the toast of the nation. While the world at large came to know of Neymar as a wunderkind when he debuted at 17 for Santos, he had already turned down a move to Real Madrid and was on the radar in Brazil for over five years.

The documentary does a good job in taking the viewers through his time at Santos, his transfer to Barcelona and his impressive time there, his decision to move to PSG for a world record 222 million euros and his desire to move back and the fallout with the fans. The footballing journey ends with PSG's loss in the Champions League final in 2020 against Bayern Munich. There is also Brazil’s Olympic victory thrown into the mix along with the two World Cup campaigns.

But there is not much insight into Neymar’s as a person, his life outside the football ground, other than a phrase like 'he creates his own chaos'. This is not to say that there are no interesting moments at all.

After becoming a father at a very young age, Neymar's relationship with his son is an interesting one. But perhaps the most riveting part is his relationship with his father. A relationship he says has become more 'professional' now.

Neymar Sr, whose career in football ended with a construction job, is the brain behind the brand Neymar and has been at it since he realised his son had potential to be a star. The company - NR Sports - is his brain child.

One would assume that it aims to guide the 'naive' footballer through potential pitfalls and to keep his brand alive and ensure it goes beyond his playing days.

It's evident, in a heated argument between the two following, a rape allegation against Neymar Jr, that Neymar Sr wants control while his son is fed up of it. The controversy regarding the transfer fees for his move from Santos to Barcelona is also quietly side-stepped.

This apart, there is little in the documentary that keeps you invested.