In a recent exclusive report for Spanish sports daily, AS, Real Madrid registered a young Neymar on March 30[sup]th[/sup], 2006 with the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and the 14-year-old Brazilian trained for two weeks at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground with the youth squads, even making his debut in the last game of the 2005-2006 season with the likes of Dani Carvajal, Pablo Sarabia and Alex Fernandez.
However, despite showing obvious potential in training and the match, then Real Madrid chairman Fernando Martin (who took over the abrupt departure of Florentino Perez in February) did not take the advice of then sporting director Ramon Martinez to sign the player, instead listening to Club CEO, Carlos Martinez de Albornoz, who refused to pay the €60,000 Neymar’s agent then and now, Wagner Ribeiro was asking.