‘If I could speak directly to him’ – Brazil icon Ronaldo shares retirement message to Neymar
Neymar’s 2026 World Cup was not one he will want to remember after being unable to guide Brazil past the quarter-finals.
At 34 years old, this could well mark the end of Neymar’s international career.
The Brazilian icon was able to score in the game against Norway as he slotted home a penalty to halve the deficit.
However, Neymar has not played at the top level for a number of years now, with his selection by Carlo Ancelotti dividing football fans across the globe.
Due to injury issues, Neymar barely played at this summer’s World Cup, having ended the tournament with just 37 minutes of action to his name.
As the debate goes on over his future as an international player, Ronaldo Nazario has issued a message to the Brazilian icon.
What Ronaldo has said to Neymar about retiring from Brazil duty
Neymar entered the World Cup with fitness concerns and that played out as he failed to feature in the opening two games of the group stages.
There was a sense that Carlo Ancelotti may have selected Neymar to please others rather than what he was able to provide on the pitch.
Speaking to TNT Sports, Ronaldo has urged Neymar not to rush into any decision following Brazil’s World Cup exit.
“I think that, if I could speak directly to him, I would say the following: don’t put any pressure on yourself and don’t decide anything now. There’s no need, nobody needs to decide anything now,” he said.
“He’ll go back to his club, he’ll go back to playing. We can’t forget that he’s coming off two years of serious injury. He arrived at this World Cup and made an incredible sacrifice.”
Ancelotti stood by Neymar despite the injury concerns, but his selection did not offer the Brazil side a lot on the pitch during their World Cup adventure.
“So it’s about getting back into the rhythm, playing 10, 15 games in a row, scoring goals again, regaining confidence. Soon he’ll be excited again, and who knows, maybe Ancelotti will see him again as an option for the Brazilian national team. He has the technical ability, nobody ever doubted that. Now he needs to be in good physical condition to be decisive,” added Ronaldo.
Neymar will return to his club side Santos, where he has until the end of the calendar year remaining on his current contract.
It has been an unsettled period for the Brazilian since leaving Paris Saint-Germain in 2023, with a big decision looming.
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