Brazil’s Neymar reacts after the penalty shootout on the World Cup quarterfinal soccer match between Croatia and Brazil, on the Schooling Metropolis Stadium in Al Rayyan, Qatar, Friday, Dec. 9, 2022. (AP Picture/Martin Meissner)
Doha: One more World Cup has resulted in tears for Neymar, with soccer’s most costly participant hinting he might not pull on the Brazil shirt once more following a painful defeat to Croatia.
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The 30-year-old, who gave Brazil the lead throughout further time of their quarter-final in Doha with a superb particular person effort, was distraught after Croatia triumphed on penalties.
Talking to reporters, his voice trembling with emotion, he admitted he couldn’t “one hundred pc assure” he can be seen within the well-known yellow shirt once more.
Neymar, who has 124 Brazil caps, will likely be 34 by the point the subsequent World Cup comes round in North America in 2026.
That’s nonetheless youthful than many main names in Qatar, from Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Luka Modric and Olivier Giroud.
However Brazil’s brittle quantity 10 hinted final 12 months that he wouldn’t seem at one other World Cup, suggesting in a single interview that he may not have the psychological energy “to place up with much more soccer”.
Neymar has carried the hopes of a nation into three World Cups since his emergence as a generational expertise at Santos.
He has scored eight World Cup targets however the match has uncovered his weak physique and fragile feelings.
In 2014, taking part in on dwelling soil, he was minimize down in a quarter-final win over Colombia and stretchered off in agony with a fractured bone in his again.
With out him Brazil capitulated, dropping the semi-final 7-1 to Germany.
4 years in the past, Brazil’s build-up to the match in Russia was dominated by his battle to get well from an operation on a damaged bone in his foot.
Degree with Pele
He got here again in time, however that World Cup was nonetheless remembered for his tears in a win over Costa Rica earlier than the Selecao misplaced within the quarter-finals to Belgium.
This time he seemed to be in peak bodily form as he arrived in Qatar, solely to sprain an ankle in Brazil’s first recreation, which pressured him out of the subsequent two matches.
He returned to attain in opposition to South Korea within the final 16 after which opened the scoring with a superb purpose in opposition to Croatia, equalling Pele’s file tally of 77 for Brazil within the course of.
However whereas Pele received three World Cups, Neymar appears like he won’t ever obtain what “O Rei” (the King) managed, together with different Brazilian greats who lifted the trophy, from Garrincha and Jairzinho to Romario and Ronaldo.
“I’m not closing any doorways on the nationwide crew however I’m additionally not guaranteeing one hundred pc that I’ll return,” he stated on Friday.
Neymar additionally missed Brazil’s 2019 Copa America triumph as a result of harm, however his tears haven’t simply are available a Brazil shirt.
He cried after Paris Saint-Germain misplaced to Bayern Munich within the 2020 Champions League last, and he has proven his misery when struggling the accidents which have repeatedly interrupted his membership profession in Paris.
Neymar left Barcelona in 2017 as a result of he needed to win the Ballon d’Or, however he has nonetheless not managed to win that prize and in Paris –- now reunited with Lionel Messi — he lives within the shadow of Kylian Mbappe.
Vibrant future for Brazil?
Even when Neymar decides to play on, with the subsequent Copa America set for 2024, a brand new cycle will start for a Brazil facet who’ve gone out of the previous 5 World Cups to European opposition, 4 instances dropping within the quarter-finals.
“I don’t know what is going to occur with the Brazil crew going ahead however now we will solely lament what has occurred,” admitted Neymar.
They’ll actually have a brand new coach, with the 61-year-old Tite stepping down.
Skipper Thiago Silva, aged 38, and the 39-year-old Dani Alves will transfer on, whereas younger stars reminiscent of Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo will likely be requested to play an ever extra essential position.
“We’re going to have gamers who should step up now, as leaders, however we have now so many gamers who can lead the crew and set an instance,” stated goalkeeper Alisson Becker, who’s eight months youthful than Neymar.
“We’ve got younger abilities who’re going to enhance much more, be taught from this World Cup, and we have now extra skilled gamers as effectively who can nonetheless contribute to the nationwide crew.
“Now it’s troublesome to discuss the longer term as a result of we have now a lot ache due to the second, however hopefully the longer term will likely be vivid for us.”
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