Joao Neves earns £150,000 a week and has won 2 Champions League titles - so why does he drive a £7,000 van?

João Neves has established himself as one of Paris Saint-Germain’s most important players, helping the club enjoy remarkable success in Europe while earning a reported £150,000 a week (approx. $195,000).However, despite his status as a back-to-back Champions League winner, the Portuguese midfielder has been spotted arriving at training in a surprisingly modest vehicle: a 2021 Peugeot Partner van reportedly worth around £7,000 (approx. $9,100).A very different kind of footballer's carThe Peugeot Partner is not a new vehicle either, with the model Neves was seen driving dating back to 2021. Given his reported £150,000 weekly salary, the van is an unusually modest choice for a player operating at the very top level of European football.To put his frugality into perspective, Neves earns approximately $27,800 USD per day based on his reported weekly wage. That means he makes enough in a single day to buy roughly three of the same vans he uses to travel to training.Visuals circulating online show Neves greeting supporters outside the training ground, stopping to interact with them and signing autographs before getting back into the small white van and driving away. His friendly exchange with fans made the contrast with the usual luxury cars seen outside elite football training grounds all the more striking.The sight has also prompted plenty of surprise because footballers are often known for arriving at training in expensive cars, with luxury and performance vehicles frequently becoming almost as much of a talking point as what happens on the pitch.Neves, however, appears to have gone in the opposite direction, turning up in a practical commercial-style van that costs only a fraction of what many of his fellow professionals spend on their cars.Neves' rise at Paris Saint-GermainThe Portuguese midfielder joined PSG from Benfica in 2024 for a reported £60 million, approximately $78 million USD, and quickly established himself as an important part of Luis Enrique's side despite his age. He has since been part of a PSG team that has won back-to-back Champions League titles, while also forming a strong midfield partnership with fellow Portugal international Vitinha.Last season, Neves made 49 appearances, scoring three goals and providing 10 assists for the French champions.His understated choice of car therefore makes for an amusing contrast: one of Europe's most successful young midfielders can command a £60 million transfer fee, worth around $78 million, and a reported six-figure weekly salary, yet he is still perfectly happy arriving at training in a £7,000 ($9,100) Peugeot van.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.