Neymar gets a Royal Flush online
The Barcelona forward's dream hand goes viral on Instagram.
If you were in any doubt that about Neymar being the real deal as a poker player, think again. The PokerStars sponsored footballing icon has achieved a poker landmark not everyone gets to say they have done.
He has just returned to training for Barcelona after a two-week layoff when he caught the mumps. Just a few hours after his first training session, he was spotted at the online felt.
Over the weekend he rivered a Royal Flush. Naturally he took a picture of this rare poker feat, which went viral on Instagram:
The sports media are taking notice
Given that he earns around €12 million a year on the pitch, plus endorsements, it is not likely that he is going to quit the beautiful game for life as a poker pro, but it is reassuring to see that Neymar is a genuine fan of poker.
The news of him hitting this rare hand has already attracted a lot of mainstream reporting from the sports media, which is evidence that PokerStars' recent investment in both him and Cristiano Ronaldo is starting to pay off.
It hasn't all been plain sailing for Neymar and PokerStars last week, however, as the UK Gambling Commission forced PokerStars to remove Neymar from their current 'Dream Team' promotion in the UK. They prohibit the use of anyone under the age of 25 from promoting gambling, and Neymar is 23.
Do you think Neymar could be quite a good player? Let us know in the comments.
