Laureus

The crowd were lined several deep in the Praça
Floriano and their loud roars announced the
arrival of someone special.
All evening the noise from the sports-mad
aficionados outside the Laureus World Sports
Awards had waxed and waned as more than
100 of the most famous sportsmen and women
in the world had walked the red carpet outside
the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro
But this was Brazil, where football is king.
And this was Neymar. The brilliant 21-year-old,
then playing for Santos, waved and thanked the
onlookers as he headed for the auditorium.
His appearance was one of the highlights of
a scintillating Laureus World Sports Awards,
however on this occasion he was not a winner
as the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year
Award went to Andy Murray, not him, after
the British tennis player won an Olympic gold
medal and the US Open Grand Slam.
Two months later Neymar received his prize
with a transfer for a reported €50 million-plus
fee to FC Barcelona and now he will weave his
magic on a European stage. But on this warm
Rio evening, Neymar was the property of the
Brazilian fans and how they loved him.
- 2013 RIO DE JANEIRO -
LAUREUS SPORT FOR GOOD FOUNDATION
RIO GOES WILD AS
NEYMAR
WALKS THE
RED CARPET
- 19 -