If you happened to see a video of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, it probably made you laugh or smile. At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Brazil had just defeated Scotland 3-0. Neymar had finally returned to the stage he was destined for, playing for the Selecao for the first time since tearing his ACL back in October 2023. After the last whistle, the expression on his face said it all. Then came the scene that no one had planned: Davi Lucca, his 14-year-old son, tried to run down from the stands to get to his father, but a stadium steward who didn’t recognize the teenager stopped him cold.
To dispel the confusion, Neymar had to step in personally. There’s something strangely charming about the whole thing as you watch it happen. His own son was unable to pass a security guard without being mistaken for a pitch invader, despite the fact that he is arguably one of the most photographed athletes on the planet. Davi eventually survived. Within hours, the ensuing embrace, in which a clearly emotional Neymar drew his son close, went viral on social media.
On August 24, 2011, Davi Lucca da Silva Santos was born in São Paulo, Brazil. Neymar’s ex-girlfriend Carolina Dantas, who has amassed over three million Instagram followers as a social media influencer, is his mother. Neymar and Dantas had a brief relationship, and Davi was born outside of marriage, which at the time caused some tabloid controversy. When Neymar first found out he was going to be a father, he acknowledged that he was afraid. In an interview, he said, “I cried when I learned that I would be his father.” “I was afraid at first. Then happiness. He referred to his newborn son as “2.8 kilograms of pure happiness.” That line has held up well over time.
The sheer number of postcards in Davi Lucca’s childhood is what makes it truly fascinating. He was on the field following Brazil’s Olympic gold medal victory in Rio in 2016. He witnessed his father’s 2017 Copa del Rey victory with Barcelona. Before the 2018 World Cup, he arrived at Brazil’s training base in Sochi as a seven-year-old exploring one of the biggest football arenas. Davi became a regular at the training ground during Neymar’s time at Paris Saint-Germain. The two were pictured together at Disneyland Paris, on red carpets, and at birthday celebrations that resembled little productions. From the outside, it’s difficult to fully envision this type of childhood.
In January 2017, Neymar enrolled him in FCB Escola, a youth program associated with Barcelona. Later on, the institution changed its name to Barca Academy. It’s still unclear if Davi has significant goals for himself on the football field. A video of Neymar and his son having a one-on-one conversation went viral, showing the older man easily nutmegging the younger. Davi handled it well, and it was played for laughs. He already has about 866,000 Instagram followers at the age of 14, which would be noteworthy for most adults, let alone a teenager without any professional experience.
Additionally, Davi is no longer Neymar’s only child. With a fifth child on the way, Neymar currently has four children. In a somewhat convoluted timeline, his daughter Helena was born in 2024 with model Amanda Kimberly, while his daughters Mavie and Mel are currently dating Bruna Biancardi. Neymar told Red Bull in March 2026 that he had always wanted to be a girl father. “I have three thanks to God. “I’m genuinely happy,” he remarked. Even so, Davi Lucca, the only son and oldest, has a special place in that family narrative.
Davi Lucca seems to be still discovering his identity beyond that last name. He has both his mother’s grounded upbringing and his father’s prominence. Growing up in training grounds and VIP areas across continents, he has a name that not only opens doors but also follows him into every room. Perhaps the most subtly human thing that has ever happened to him is the Miami moment, when he was stopped by a security guard who just didn’t recognize him. Just a young child, momentarily thwarted by the routine operations of a stadium, attempting to embrace his father following a significant game. One day, that story might just be a humorous tale he shares with others. For now, it’s the detail that gives him the most authentic feel.
