Neymar: Brazil forward suggests 2022 World Cup will be his last

The PSG forward will be 34 by the time of the 2026 World Cup

Jamie Braidwood
Monday 11 October 2021 06:59 EDT
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Neymar has made 114 appearances for Brazil
Neymar has made 114 appearances for Brazil (Getty Images)

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Neymar has indicated that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could be his last, after questioning whether he still have has “strength of mind” to represent Brazil.

The 29-year-old’s comments came in an excerpt of the newly released documentary Neymar & The Line Of Kings.

The Paris Saint-Germain forward said winning the World Cup with his country is his “greatest dream” but admitted that the tournament next November and December could be his last opportunity to achieve it.

“I think it [2022] will be my last World Cup,” Neymar said. “I see it as my last because I don’t know if I have the strength of mind to deal with football anymore.

“I’ll do everything to turn up well, do everything to win with my country. To realise my greatest dream, since I was little. And I hope I can do it.”

Brazil have not won the World Cup since 2002 and Neymar has reached the semi-finals and quarter-finals in his two appearances at the competition in 2014 and 2018 respectively.

Neymar has won the 2013 Confederations Cup and the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games, both on home soil, but was injured when Brazil won the Copa America in 2019.

The Selecao are top of South American World Cup qualifying and hold a six-point lead over Argentina in the standings ahead of Thursday's match against Uruguay.

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