In an interview with DAZN fans learned that the date of a Neymar international retirement could come much sooner than anticipated. Neymar said that he expects the 2022 World Cup in Qatar to be his curtain call with Brazil’s national team. It's not for certain if he will continue to play anymore international soccer after 2022. What is for certain in his mind is that he won't be playing in the 2026 North America World Cup.
“I don’t know if I have the strength of mind to deal with football anymore,” Neymar said.
"I don't know if I have the strength of mind to deal with football any more."
Neymar expects the 2022 World Cup will be his lastWatch Neymar & The Line Of Kings now exclusively on DAZN https://t.co/uhtjETVSyP pic.twitter.com/Dyl4rDEHce
— Goal (@goal) October 10, 2021
Neymar will be 30 years old when Brazil heads to Qatar for the 2022 winter World Cup (barring a disaster of monumental proportions). He played in the 2014 and 2018 World Cups failing to make it to the final each time.
If Neymar and Brazil can lift the World Cup trophy in Qatar, he will finally add one of the major international trophies to his collection. Neymar was unable to win his first Copa América with Brazil this summer. His two trophies on the international stage are a gold medal from the 2016 Olympics and a 2013 Confederations Cup title.
Neymar said in his interview with DAZN he felt underappreciated at the international level.
"I will do all I can to win it with my country and realize my dream," he said. "The biggest since my boyhood and I hope I can achieve it. I do not know what else I need to do with this shirt for people to respect Neymar."
The PSG star has yet to score a goal for his club this season but has seen more success with World Cup qualifying. Brazil has won all its first nine games of qualifying and will look to make it ten against Colombia on Sunday.
