AP Photo/Martin Meissner
Many soccer players dream about winning a World Cup.
For Brazilian forward Neymar, the opportunity to lift one of the world’s most prestigious trophies is slowly dwindling as he’s set to turn 32 in February and will be 34 by the 2026 World Cup.
While speaking with YouTuber Casimiro (h/t ESPN’s Alex Kirkland and Rodrigo Faez), Neymar said he “cried for five days straight” after Brazil’s most recent World Cup defeat—a penalty shootout loss to Croatia in the 2022 Qatar World Cup quarterfinals, a game in which he scored a late goal to put his country up 1-0 before Croatia tied it with three minutes remaining.
Neymar said:
“I can’t tell you what went through my head. It was the most painful defeat of my career, for sure. I cried for five straight days. It hurt me a lot that my dream had turned to nothing.
“I’d have preferred not to have scored the goal, for it to stay 0-0 and lose on penalties, rather than ‘I scored the goal, they equalised and we lost on penalties.’ It’s a pain that only the players and staff can understand.
“It was the worst moment of my life. It felt like a funeral, someone crying on one side of you, someone else crying on the other. It was horrible, a feeling I don’t want to experience that again.”
Neymar added that he also considered international retirement following Brazil’s latest World Cup defeat. However, he said during an interview with CazeTV that he will participate in the 2026 tournament.
“After the [2022] World Cup, I honestly didn’t want to [return to the Brazil national team],” Neymar said. “But I’ve changed my mind. Because I’m very hungry, right? I changed my mind.
“After the World Cup, I didn’t want to go through the pain of losing again. Seeing my family suffering a lot, that weighs heavily on me. But they will have to put up with it again. It will be good. It has to be.”
Neymar also discussed his status with Paris Saint-Germain during his interview with CazeTV (h/t vipsg.net).
“I hope at PSG, I have a contract with Paris Saint-Germain and so far no one has told me anything,” he said when asked about where he will play next season. “I am at peace. Even if there isn’t much love between the supporters and the player, I’ll be here. With love or without love, but with Neymar.”
Neymar, who has played for PSG since 2017, has played for Brazil in the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups. They haven’t made it past the quarterfinals in that span and haven’t won the tournament since Ronaldo and Ronaldinho helped the country claim the title in 2002.
Brazil will begin 2026 World Cup qualifying in September, and Neymar has his eyes on the prize.
