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‘Living year to year now’: Neymar says he may retire by end of 2026
The 34-year-old Neymar extended his contract with Santos just last month after helping the club stay afloat in the Brazilian top flight last season, scoring five times in their last five matches.
Neymar has not played for Brazil since October 2023, when he suffered serious knee ligament injuries that have plagued his comeback attempts. (Photo: REUTERS)
Football star Neymar has said that he is considering retiring at the end of this year. Currently playing at boyhood club Santos, which he joined from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal in January 2025, Neymar has been battling injuries the past few seasons.
The 34-year-old forward extended his contract with Santos just last month after helping the club stay afloat in the Brazilian top flight last season, scoring five times in their last five matches.
“I don’t know what will happen from now on, I don’t know about next year,” Neymar told Brazilian online channel Caze on Friday. “It may be that when December comes, I’ll want to retire. I’m living year to year now.”
“This year is a very important year, not only for Santos, but also for the Brazilian national team, as it’s a World Cup year, and for me too,” Neymar, who recently underwent successful knee surgery, said.
With his recent injury record, Neymar’s participation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is under a cloud.
Neymar has scored 79 goals for Brazil, the highest by any player, but he has not featured for the national side since October 2023.
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has made it clear over the past year that he will only include players who are fully fit for the World Cup, scheduled to take place from June 11 to July 19 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
(With inputs from The Associated Press)
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