Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Tuesday, Jan 13, 2026

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

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Trump Designates Saudi Arabia a Major Non-NATO Ally, Elevating US–Riyadh Defense Partnership
Trump Organization Deepens Saudi Property Focus with $10 Billion Luxury Developments
There is no sovereign immunity for poisoning millions with drugs.
Mohammed bin Salman’s Global Standing: Strategic Partner in Transition Amid Debate Over His Role
Saudi Arabia Opens Property Market to Foreign Buyers in Landmark Reform
The U.S. State Department’s account in Persian: “President Trump is a man of action. If you didn’t know it until now, now you do—do not play games with President Trump.”
CNN’s Ranking of Israel’s Women’s Rights Sparks Debate After Misleading Global Index Comparison
Saudi Arabia’s Shifting Regional Alignment Raises Strategic Concerns in Jerusalem
OPEC+ Holds Oil Output Steady Amid Member Tensions and Market Oversupply
Iranian Protests Intensify as Another Revolutionary Guard Member Is Killed and Khamenei Blames the West
President Trump Says United States Will Administer Venezuela Until a Secure Leadership Transition
Delta Force Identified as Unit Behind U.S. Operation That Captured Venezuela’s President
Trump Announces U.S. Large-Scale Strike on Venezuela, Declares President Maduro and Wife Captured
Saudi-UAE Rift Adds Complexity to Middle East Diplomacy as Trump Signals Firm Leadership
OPEC+ to Keep Oil Output Policy Unchanged Despite Saudi-UAE Tensions Over Yemen
Saudi Arabia and UAE at Odds in Yemen Conflict as Southern Offensive Deepens Gulf Rift
Abu Dhabi ‘Capital of Capital’: How Abu Dhabi Rose as a Sovereign Wealth Power
Diamonds Are Powering a New Quantum Revolution
Trump Threatens Strikes Against Iran if Nuclear Programme Is Restarted
Why Saudi Arabia May Recalibrate Its US Spending Commitments Amid Rising China–America Rivalry
Riyadh Air’s First Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner Completes Initial Test Flight, Advancing Saudi Carrier’s Launch
Saudi Arabia’s 2025: A Pivotal Year of Global Engagement and Domestic Transformation
Saudi Arabia to Introduce Sugar-Content Based Tax on Sweetened Drinks from January 2026
Saudi Hotels Prepare for New Hospitality Roles as Alcohol Curbs Ease
Global Airports Forum Highlights Saudi Arabia’s Emergence as a Leading Aviation Powerhouse
Saudi Arabia Weighs Strategic Choice on Iran Amid Regional Turbulence
Not Only F-35s: Saudi Arabia to Gain Access to the World’s Most Sensitive Technology
Saudi Arabia Condemns Sydney Bondi Beach Shooting and Expresses Solidarity with Australia
Washington Watches Beijing–Riyadh Rapprochement as Strategic Balance Shifts
Saudi Arabia Urges Stronger Partnerships and Efficient Aid Delivery at OCHA Donor Support Meeting in Geneva
Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 Drives Measurable Lift in Global Reputation and Influence
Alcohol Policies Vary Widely Across Muslim-Majority Countries, With Many Permitting Consumption Under Specific Rules
Saudi Arabia Clarifies No Formal Ban on Photography at Holy Mosques for Hajj 2026
Libya and Saudi Arabia Sign Strategic MoU to Boost Telecommunications Cooperation
Elon Musk’s xAI Announces Landmark 500-Megawatt AI Data Center in Saudi Arabia
Israel Moves to Safeguard Regional Stability as F-35 Sales Debate Intensifies
Cardi B to Make Historic Saudi Arabia Debut at Soundstorm 2025 Festival
U.S. Democratic Lawmakers Raise National Security and Influence Concerns Over Paramount’s Hostile Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Hackers Are Hiding Malware in Open-Source Tools and IDE Extensions
Traveling to USA? Homeland Security moving toward requiring foreign travelers to share social media history
Wall Street Analysts Clash With Riyadh Over Saudi Arabia’s Deficit Outlook
Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Cement $1 Trillion-Plus Deals in High-Profile White House Summit
Saudi Arabia Opens Alcohol Sales to Wealthy Non-Muslim Residents Under New Access Rules
U.S.–Saudi Rethink Deepens — Washington Moves Ahead Without Linking Riyadh to Israel Normalisation
Saudi Arabia and Israel Deprioritise Diplomacy: Normalisation No Longer a Middle-East Priority
Saudi Arabia Positions Itself as the Backbone of the Global AI Era
As Trump Deepens Ties with Saudi Arabia, Push for Israel Normalization Takes a Back Seat
Thai Food Village Debuts at Saudi Feast Food Festival 2025 Under Thai Commerce Minister Suphajee’s Lead
Saudi Arabia Sharpens Its Strategic Vision as Economic Transformation Enters New Phase
Saudi Arabia Projects $44 Billion Budget Shortfall in 2026 as Economy Rebalances
×