On June 5, 2013 Sport reported that José Luis Runco, a Brazilian national team physio, has voiced the opinion that although Neymar’s build is slim by nature, it would do him a lot of good if he gains some weight. Runco said that the doctors residing at FC Barcelona also share this opinion. More after the jump.
As profiled previously at totalBarça, Neymar is currently 1.75 m (5’9″) and 64.5 kg (142 lbs). Runco is quoted as saying, “with his future now assured at a team like Barcelona, it’s less critical and he should have an easy time gaining the 2 or 3 kilograms he needs.” He also said that this adaptation should be gradual along with the training and food that he will get in Barcelona, so it shouldn’t happen overnight.
We have seen many variations in body builds in successful players. For example, Iniesta is 1.7 m (5′ 7″) and 65 kg (142 lbs) which is slim by footballing standards. Iniesta gets by with his frame by utilizing his low center of gravity and excellent ball control. Iniesta has, many times, performed well on the left wing but he plays very differently from Neymar. Barça’s newest signing at this time is about the same weight as Iniesta but is two inches taller and his style requires going shoulder to shoulder with opposition defenders. It is clear that his current slim build is in need of a physical boost.
Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008 and 2013
In the last five years, we have witnessed the transformation of Cristiano Ronaldo into a more bulky constitution from a slim shape when he was younger. Cristiano Ronaldo was about 78 kg (172 lbs) in the 2007/2008 season at Manchester United, and he has gained about 6 kg which puts him at his current weight of 84 kg (186 lbs) with his height still measuring at 6′ 1″ (1.86 m). There are trade-offs that happen, as we’ve seen a transformation from the Cristiano Ronaldo that emphasized tricky dribbling and footwork when getting past his man, into a goalscoring Ronaldo that has a more direct and powerful game.
Messi in 2008 and 2013
Messi on the other hand, took a more poco a poco approach, only gaining 2 kg (but more of a change in upper body strength and muscle definition) since his 2008 participation in the Olympics. He was 65 kg (143.3 lbs) in 2008, and is now 67 kg (147.7 lbs) with his height remaining unchanged at 1.7 m (5′ 7”). His game remains more or less the same, flourishing from an excellent array of attacking skills, although he might have lost some acceleration since his
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