Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) (AFP) - Brazilian star Neymar admitted for the first time that he might put an end to his career at the end of the year, a few months before the World Cup, which he hopes to participate in despite being exposed to repeated injuries.
Published on: 02/20/2026 - 17:51
The 34-year-old striker said during an interview with the online channel Kazi TV, which has published several excerpts on social media since Thursday night.
The Brazilian star recently renewed his contract with Santos until the end of 2026.
On Sunday, he also played his first match this year with his current club, after undergoing surgery on his left knee at the end of last December, causing him to miss the start of the season that begins in January for Brazilian clubs.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain striker explained to the channel, “I wanted to return this season 100%, and that is why I missed some matches.”
He added, "It is an important year, not only for the Santos club, but also for the Brazilian national team and for me personally, with the World Cup imminent," which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Neymar is considered the best scorer in the history of the Brazilian national team (79 goals, two goals behind Pele), and he aspires to participate in the World Cup for the fourth time.
But he has not yet been called up to the national team since Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti took over last May.
His last match for the “Seleção”, five-time world champion, was on October 17, 2023, when he suffered a serious knee injury against the Uruguay national team.
Since returning to his new old club, Santos, a year ago, Neymar has gone through several physical problems, but he played a pivotal role in the club’s survival in the first division.
© 2026 AFP
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