Neymar surpasses Cristiano Ronaldo, Zidane, and other soccer legends with impressive all-time record

Despite recent seasons marred by injuries and off-field controversies, Neymar Jr. has undoubtedly secured a place among the greatest players in soccer history. That status is now backed by an impressive all-time record that puts him ahead of legends like Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Neymar has become the player who has held the title of most expensive signing in soccer history for the longest period. He still owns that record today, ever since Paris Saint-Germain paid €222 million (around $250 million) to Barcelona for him in the summer of 2017.

Seven years, 11 months, and 28 days have passed since that historic transfer, and much has changed. The Brazilian forward no longer plays for PSG—or even Al Hilal, his next stop after leaving the French side—and is now back at Santos. Barcelona, meanwhile, have long since moved on from the players they signed with the massive fee received from PSG: Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele.

Yet in all this time, no player in the world has surpassed that €222 million figure. This has allowed Neymar to break the previous record held by Zinedine Zidane, who was the most expensive transfer in soccer history for seven years, 11 months, and 27 days after Real Madrid signed him from Juventus in 2001 for €77.8 million.

Cristiano Ronaldo once held the record for most expensive transfer

The list of players who have, at some point, been the most expensive transfer in the world includes many of the game’s greatest legends—along with a few surprising names. One of the earliest examples is Diego Armando Maradona, who moved from Boca Juniors to Barcelona in 1982 for what was then the equivalent of €7.3 million.

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The Argentine icon held the top spot for four years, making him the fifth-longest holder of the title. Cristiano Ronaldo ranks just ahead of him: he joined Real Madrid from Manchester United in 2009 for €94 million and remained the most expensive player for four years, one month, and 26 days—until Gareth Bale overtook him in 2013.

Third on the list is Gianluca Vialli. The former Italian striker starred for Sampdoria between 1984 and 1992, scoring 215 goals in 328 matches. That earned him a record-breaking transfer to Juventus for the equivalent of $23 million. Vialli held the title of most expensive player for five years, until he was surpassed in 1997 by Ronaldo Nazario.