Football: in Bougival, life without Neymar

The sky is gray, dead leaves line the sidewalks and passers-by are rare on the shopping street of Bougival. A very calm, even gloomy atmosphere, which contrasts with the fact that one of the most influential footballers on the planet settled down in 2017 for 222 million euros, in this small town in Yvelines, which has barely 10,000 inhabitants. . Neymar resided for six years in a huge villa of 780 m2, 14 rooms spread over 5 floors, not far from the city center, until his departure this summer to join the Al-Hilal club, in Saudi Arabia.

The arrival of the Brazilian in Paris resonated like a real earthquake in the world of football, mixing passion and ecstasy in the French capital. An event which obviously marked some Bougivalais. “It was incredible to think that Neymar lived in our small town. He could have chosen to live in Paris, but for him to come here was really a surprise. No one expected it,” underlines Christine, a resident of Bougival for around twenty years. Obviously, at present, the departure of the Brazilian is being felt. Even if the latter did not impact the daily life of the Bougivalais, his presence still brought something. “It's a shame he's not here anymore, he was our 'attraction'. When we thought about the fact that he was there, it made us smile. Now it’s over (smile),” admits Philippe, slightly nostalgic for the presence of the former PSG star.

Unlike what he shows of his life on social networks, Neymar has always been discreet, even “too discreet” in Bougival. Some regret his lack of involvement in the town, this is the case of Valérie, owner of the pizzeria “Le Basilic Rouge”: “We have never seen him. It's a shame, we would have liked to see him participate in the life of the city. He could have gone to visit the Bougival football club for example. The little ones would have been so happy to see him.” The director of the brand then gave a little anecdote about the top scorer in the history of the Brazilian selection: “Before he left PSG, Neymar had one last evening at his home. That evening we received a call from his butler to order fifteen pizzas. He then came to pick them up, but without Neymar.” The Brazilian, invisible in the streets of Bougival like a ghost, his entourage was becoming less rare in the town. “His staff came from time to time to eat lunch. They didn't ask questions. They were incognito here. It made us a little crowded,” says the management of the bistronomic restaurant “Les Papilles”.

Beyond his status as an international celebrity, followed by hundreds of millions of people on social networks and around the world, like his loved ones who did not hesitate to go to lunch in the city, Neymar wanted to keep a certain simplicity in its operation. Young rapper from Bougival, C Dimeh once went to ring at the Brazilian's house, accompanied by his friends. The group obviously didn't expect any response, but they were very surprised when they heard N.10's assistant answer the intercom. The latter obviously could not let them enter the majestic residence but offered to bring back balloons or jerseys for “Ney” to sign “with pleasure”. This idea came from the Brazilian himself. C Dimeh and his friends, not being football fans, never went back to ring the Brazilian's doorbell, but were touched by this gesture from the former Parisian: “He was not inaccessible, that's what was GOOD. It's a shame he's no longer here. There's not much here. It's very small and everyone knows each other. His presence clearly shined a light on the city, especially for us young people. It was like a little pride. Now it’s back to the way it was.”

This feeling is also shared by seniors like Sandrine, fifty years old, who noticed a form of euphoria when the Brazilian arrived in the town. A period that marked her. “Some locals would go in front of his house, PSG supporters too and fans even came from Brazil to see him! It was crazy. We had never experienced this before.” Today, the craze has died down. “There is no longer that little bit of madness that there could have been, even if we didn't see it. There is clearly a before and after-Neymar. We lost our darling (smile).”

While living in Bougival, Neymar also made friends in the surrounding area. A mechanic for several years in the town, Ricardo took care of the Brazilian star's many cars and became friends with the latter over time. The Franco-Portuguese was the first person “Ney” was able to trust, outside of his entourage, when he arrived at PSG. “When he moved in, he had two car accidents. So he came to my garage with his butler for me to help him. As I speak Portuguese, conversations were fluid between us. I was the first person he could confide in here.” Whenever the Brazilian had questions about the city, he called Ricardo. “He is someone who is very careful with who he associates with outside of his close circle, but once he trusts you, he is a very quiet person.”

Neymar's whimsical and provocative side on the pitch contrasts with the discretion he showed in Bougival. “He didn’t really want to go to the city and take risks, he feared riots or crowds gathering, which is normal,” says Ricardo. Also known as a big party animal, the Brazilian was as good as a picture according to his friend: “He only had two or three parties in the villa. He never bothered the neighbors. This is all false. He is far from this party animal image.” Beyond his status as a global star, Neymar has always shown signs of great sensitivity on the pitch. Ricardo remembers someone simple and generous. “To thank me, he invited me to his house several times to eat with his friends. He also invited me to come and watch PSG matches at the Parc des Princes, each time in the VIP boxes. He’s a very human person.”

Beyond his very good understanding with Kylian Mbappé's former teammate, the Bougivalais highlights the spotlight that Neymar was for the town. “Let it be said: Bougival did not exist before his arrival! He clearly put the city on the country's map. Nobody had ever heard of Bougival before Neymar came to live here. It created a media buzz around the town. He appreciated the city, he found it calm and pleasant. It’s a shame, it was a great story.”