U.S.

Teen Contest Winner Chooses Meeting Neymar Over $10,000

16-year old Rhiannon Conelley is sticking to her decision to meet her idol instead of claiming the alternative prize of $10,000.

Teen Contest Winner Chooses Meeting Neymar Over $10,000
Getty Images / Cilve Brunskill
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What would you do if given the choice between receiving $10,000 or meeting your idol?

Well, the choice was simple for 16-year-old Texas high school soccer player Rhiannon Conelley.

HLN: "She chose to meet Neymar. Pretty remarkable that a teenager is going to pass up for a life experience." 

Conelley won a contest sponsored by a Brazilian soft drink company and was offered the cash or a trip to Spain to see the soccer star. "If you want to enter a contest that bad ... and it's what you want to do, you do it."

Twenty-two-year-old Neymar is a forward for a Spanish club and also the captain of the Brazilian national team. 

Just Tuesday, he scored four goals against Japan.

Multiple outlets say Conelley has faced criticism from friends and family for her decision, but she doesn't seem to regret a thing.

She told the El Paso Times, "I just wanted to meet Neymar. I thought that was more important than the $10,000. Everyone disagrees with that, but I'm sticking to my guns."

The date for the meeting hasn't been set, but we do know Conelley won't be traveling alone -- she gets to bring along her mother and her coach. When Conelley finally meets Neymar, she says she plans to ask him to marry her. 

This video includes images from Money / CC BY SA 2.0 and Getty Images.