<figure id="attachment_3287061" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-3287061" style="width: 1600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-3287061" src="https://media.freemalaysiatoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/66498fcb-neymar.jpg" alt="Neymar" width="1600" height="1067" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-3287061" class="wp-caption-text">Brazilian coach Carlo Ancelotti has not called up Neymar to the national team since taking over last May. (EPA images pic)</figcaption></figure>
RIO DE JENAIRO: Former Brazil captain Neymar said he is thinking of retiring at the end of the year after being hampered by injuries but hopes to go to the World Cup first.
The ex-Barcelona and Paris St-Germain striker returned in January 2025 to his boyhood club Santos from Saudi club Al-Hilal.
After an injury-interrupted first season he extended his contract until the end of 2026 but then missed the start of the Brazilian season in January after undergoing knee surgery in late December.
&#8220;I don&#8217;t know what will happen from now on, I don&#8217;t know about next year,&#8221; the striker told Brazilian online channel Caze. &#8220;It may be that when December comes, I&#8217;ll want to retire. I&#8217;m living year to year now.&#8221;
He made his return as a second-half replacement in a Sao Paulo championship match on Feb 16, 11 days after his 34th birthday.
&#8220;Obviously, I wanted to come back to help my team in the best way possible, but I ended up holding back a little so I could come back 100%,&#8221; he said.
Neymar is the all-time leading scorer for Brazil, with 79 goals, two more than Pele, but has not played for the national team since October 2023 when he suffered a serious knee injury against Uruguay.
Carlo Ancelotti has not called up Neymar since taking over as Brazil coach last May.
&#8220;This year is a very important year, not only for Santos, but also for the Brazilian national team, as it&#8217;s a World Cup year, and for me too,&#8221; Neymar said. &#8220;So it&#8217;s a huge challenge.&#8221;

MatchPoint Times

Neymar hints at possible retirement after World Cup

The 34-year-old Sao Paulo striker missed the start of the Brazilian season after undergoing knee surgery in late December.

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