Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, Aug 02, 2025

Neymar unsure if he’ll play for Brazil at another World Cup

Neymar unsure if he’ll play for Brazil at another World Cup

‘I will not close the door to playing with Brazil, nor do I say 100 percent that I’ll come back,’ Neymar said.

Brazil’s Neymar says he is unsure if he will play for the national team at another World Cup after his side’s stunning loss to Croatia in their quarter-final match on Friday.

Neymar, playing in his third World Cup for the number one ranked Brazil, broke down in tears after Marquinhos struck the post in a penalty shootout, giving Croatia a 4-2 win.

“Honestly, I do not know,” Neymar, 30, told reporters in Al Rayyan, Qatar, after the heartbreaking defeat.

“I think talking now is bad because of the heat of the moment. Maybe I’m not thinking straight. To say that this is the end would be rushing myself, but I don’t guarantee anything either. Let’s see what happens going forward,” the ESPN sports network reported.

Neymar had hinted in November that Qatar could be his final World Cup.

“I can’t guarantee that I’ll play another [World] Cup,” he told Brazilian network Globo. “I honestly don’t know. I’ll play like it’s the last. Maybe I’ll play another one, maybe not. It depends. There’s going to be a coaching change and I don’t know if that coach will like me.”

Brazil’s crushing loss capped a bittersweet day for Neymar, the Paris Saint-Germain forward whose first-half goal, which put Brazil on top momentarily, tied him with Pele as his country’s all-time leading scorer. It was his 77th goal in 124 international matches.

“I want to take this time to think about it, think about what I want for myself,” he said.

“I will not close the door to playing with Brazil, nor do I say 100 percent that I’ll come back.”

The 30-year-old found the back of the net twice at the World Cup, his first goal coming in the last 16 in Brazil’s 4-1 steamrolling of South Korea after he sat out two group stage games due to an ankle injury he sustained in the team’s opening match against Serbia.


Neymar in action during the Croatia vs Brazil quarter-final on December 9, 2022, at Education City Stadium in Qatar

Neymar was slated to take Brazil’s fifth and decisive penalty kick but Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković denied him the opportunity after shutting down Rodrygo then Marquinhos’s shot hit the post.

“He should have taken the fifth and decisive penalty,” Brazilian coach Tite told reporters. “The player with the most quality and mental skills is the one to be in charge in the moment when the pressure is high.”

Tite, who has led the Brazilian team for the past six years, announced his resignation as head coach following the shattering loss to Croatia.

“The cycle has ended, and I keep to my word,” Tite, 61, said following Friday’s game.

“There are other great professionals that can replace me. When their [Croatia’s] goalkeeper [Dominik Livaković] is the best player on the field, the game is talking to you. We had to be more effective in making goals. But did Brazil show their best? Overall, yes.”


Neymar, who has not yet hoisted a World Cup, despite a storied career, was a crucial component of Brazil’s quarter-final run in Russia four years ago when the team was beaten by Belgium. He has won two LaLiga titles, four Ligue 1 titles, a Champions League trophy and a Copa Libertadores.

Veteran Brazil defender Dani Alves, who consoled Neymar on the field following the Croatia match, also announced he will be retiring from international play but said he would continue competing in club leagues.

In one of the more touching post-match moments, the son of Croatian forward Ivan Perisić rushed to comfort a tearful Neymar as he and Alves embraced each other at midfield.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany Enters Fiscal Crisis as Cabinet Approves €174 Billion in New Debt
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Germany Seeks Taliban Deal to Deport Afghan Migrants
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Qatar Airways Clears Backlog of Passengers Following Missile Threats
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
×