Neymar reassures PSG that he is NOT about to retire
Robin Bairner
- 13 Oct 2021 10:07 BST
- 3 min read
Neymar sent shockwaves through football over the weekend as he said the 2022 World Cup in Qatar could be his last, but the Paris Saint-Germain attacker has moved to assure his club that he is not about to quit the sport entirely.
The revelations from the forward had sparked fears that he could be in his final months in the game.
Related articles
This is allied to Neymar’s relatively poor on-field performance over the course of 2022, during which he has managed just three goals from open play. He has also been dogged by injury issues while regularly finds himself in the spotlight due to his love of a party lifestyle.
Still only 29, Neymar’s words suggested that he will not enjoy a long career like that of team-mate Lionel Messi and Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom are playing well into their 30s.
What did Neymar say about the World Cup?
Speaking to DAZN last April but only released in the last week, Neymar said: “I am facing it like the last World Cup because I don’t know whether I will be able to, mentally, to endure more soccer.”
Naturally, this sent shockwaves through PSG, where the player recently signed a contract binding him to the club until 2025, with the option of an additional year on top of that.
L’Equipe reports that Neymar fully intends to honour that deal.
He’s speaking about the possibility of Qatar being his last World Cup, but he’s not speaking about football in general
- L'EquipeIndeed, an unnamed source close to the player says: “In 2026, he will be 34 years old. He’s speaking about the possibility of Qatar being his last World Cup, but he’s not speaking about football in general.”
Neymar, who is presently on World Cup qualifying duty with Brazil, has already phoned PSG sporting director Leonardo to give him an update on the situation and reassure his compatriot that there is not prospect of him retiring imminently.
