FC Barcelona found the magic formula last season by combining the offensive talents of Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Luis Suarez into an unstoppable vanguard. The football club won the treble (the La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League), and the Messi-Neymar-Suarez trio was named by some soccer pundits as the best front three in Barcelona history.
This season, Barcelona have struggled to live up to the immense hype of their 2014 2015 season, though the deck has at times seemed stacked against them. Between a transfer ban that kept Barca from bringing in new players for the fall, and an injury for Lionel Messi, Barca haven't looked quite as unstoppable as they did a year ago. Still, though, it's difficult to count the team out of any competition, simply because they could easily reach their highest heights yet once Messi returns from injury.
While Barcelona's magic formula can't last forever, though-no unstoppable front three ever can-at least one star footballer could be playing for the football club for the next decade-plus. Roberto Fernandez, the clubs technical director, recently went on record to state - Neymar to play at FC Barcelona for life.
A Lifelong Career at Barcelona
Of course, it's entirely possible that Fernandez is being hyperbolic. He made his statements while discussing Neymar's contract extension. Neymar is contracted with FC Barcelona until 2018, but recent 
reports have indicated that Barca want to put an attractive contract extension on the table early before other clubs start approaching the Brazilian soccer star with alternative deals.
Perhaps Fernandez has insider knowledge about how much money Barcelona are going to offer Neymar to extend his contract. Or perhaps he's just trying to keep positive buzz going for the soccer club, following Messi's injury and a subsequent La Liga loss against Sevilla. Either way, his comments beg the question of what a lifelong career at Barcelona would mean for Neymar.
Right now, it's tough to divorce thoughts of Neymar from the other two members of Barca's offensive trio. But Messi and Suarez will certainly not be at Barcelona forever. Both men are 28 years old, and while they are both still in great shape, they are also likely entering the latter periods of their careers. Neymar, on the other hand, is only 23 years old and is still improving. The Brazilian's best accomplishments are ahead of him, and FC Barcelona seems to be a fitting incubator for his talents.
Neymar's Career so Far
In any case, it's hardly surprising that Barcelona's officials would want Neymar to stick around forever. The Brazilian winger and forward may only be 23 years old, but he's already accomplished more than most football players do in an entire career.
Neymar caught eyes while playing with Brazilian soccer club Santos, where he began his senior football career in 2009. Between 2009 and 2013, he played 225 matches with the team and scored 136 goals. Unsurprisingly, a number of major football clubs came calling with transfer bids, including Chelsea and Real Madrid. Ultimately, though, Neymar ended up at FC Barcelona.
Despite a huge controversy surrounding Neymar's transfer fee, the young star has flourished at Barcelona. The 2013 
2014 season saw Neymar getting used to the bigger leagues of the Spanish La Liga and European soccer in general. He made 41 appearances that season and scored 15 goals. In 2014 2015, though, he came into his own, tallying 39 goals in 51 appearances. He's been just as impressive offensively, tallying 46 goals for Brazil in just 67 appearances.
No matter what happens in the future, it will be fascinating to watch how Neymar continues to grow over the next 10 years. It would, of course, be intriguing to see him play in England or Germany, for a club like Manchester City or Bayern Munich. But it would also be interesting to see what he could accomplish at Barcelona without the help of Messi or Suarez. At Santos, Neymar was the star. Right now, he's Barca's second or third best player. Imagine the sort of goal numbers he might put up when he gets the starring role again.
Do you hope Neymar stays at Barca for the rest of his career? Pick up a Barcelona jersey 2015 2016 to cheer for such an outcome!
