Neymar Jr. and George Goodell jersey swap buzz takes over NFL opener in Brazil as Chiefs face Chargers

On September 5, 2025, Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. attended the NFL season opener between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Los Angeles Chargers. Approximately 47,000 fans were in attendance at NeoQuímica Arena in São Paulo, Brazil.

Even though it was confirmed that this did not happen, reports on social media claimed that Neymar Jr. and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell exchanged jerseys. While Goodell was distracted with pre-game activities and interviews regarding the NFL's presence in Brazil, Neymar Jr. was on the field engaging with players and fans.

Neymar Jr interacts with NFL players at the Sao Paulo game

Before the game started, Neymar Jr. was seen mingling with NFL players and is now playing for Santos Futebol Clube.

As he warmed up, he also waved to Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce; the guys greeted one another and smiled at one another.

The Chiefs even shared a couple of videos showing Neymar Jr. having a good time with the players. In addition to all of those moments, the day was filled with entertainment as Green Day's drummer Tre Cool was the band's drummer, followed by a halftime show with Colombian star Karol G. Some fans were hoping pop star Taylor Swift would show up, but she did not.

Neymar Jr.'s presence added excitement and local energy to the NFL event, allowing fans some connection to the game.

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Roger Goodell talks NFL growth at Brazil game

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was in attendance for the entirety of the game, and he even participated as part of the pre-game activities on the field. The Commissioner was able to conduct interviews with the local media. "Our aim is about growing American football in the country and hopefully engaging even more fans globally," Goodell stated. He was able to see both teams prepare for the game by watching both teams warm up, he even engaged with both teams' personnel, and spoke about the NFL's intention to grow football internationally, and more worldwide. No, we did not see a jersey swap between Neymar Jr. and Commissioner Goodell even though they were both at the game, and a lot of media speculation on social media played into this. The key takeaway was witnessing Neymar Jr. interact with NFL players and NFL fans for a special moment in Sao Paulo.