Brazilian football star Neymar recently stated that he does not rule out retiring at the end of 2026.

Neymar just extended his contract with Santos until December 2026 last month, but all indications suggest he hasn't decided on his future after this season. The Brazilian star also stated frankly in an interview with Caze TV: "I don't know what the future holds, and I don't know what will happen next year. Maybe by December, I'll want to retire. Right now, I can only take it one step at a time. This year is crucial for Santos and the Brazilian national team, and it's also crucial for me personally."

The 34-year-old Neymar came through the Santos youth academy and made his professional debut for the first team in the São Paulo State Football League on March 7, 2009. He subsequently played for Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, and Al-Hilal, during which time he won one Champions League title, one Club World Cup title, two La Liga titles, three Copa del Rey titles, one Spanish Super Cup title, five Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France titles, two Coupe de la Ligue titles, four Coupe de France titles, and one Saudi Arabian Super Cup title alongside stars such as Messi, Suarez, and Mbappe.

Since returning to Santos in early 2025, Neymar has only made 30 appearances due to injuries. Nevertheless, he still contributed 11 goals and 4 assists in his limited playing time, becoming a key contributor to Santos' successful survival in the league last season.

Thanks to arthroscopic surgery on his left knee meniscus last December, Neymar is currently in good form. He told Caze TV, "I hope to return to 100% this season, so I will conserve my energy in some matches. I am taking better care of myself than before. I know there are a lot of rumors circulating, but they don't know the real situation of daily training."

“Santos devised a comprehensive recovery plan for me and provided me with tremendous help. I am naturally eager to return to the team immediately and contribute to its success, but I have ultimately decided to take some time off to ensure that I am in top condition upon my return and have completely overcome the pain and fear.”

“I played well in my first match after my comeback. I feel both happy and calm to be able to return in better form than before. Obviously, I need to find my rhythm; but as long as I persevere, I will definitely get back to 100%. I will take it one step at a time. The future is still unknown, and everything will be guided by my heart.”

Image source: Internet