Last weekend, Neymar made his long-awaited return to the pitch with Santos in 2026, following his recovery from meniscus surgery at the end of last season.
Excited to be back, the star wearing the number 10 jersey for Peixe discussed his aspirations for the future.
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In an official interview with CazéTV, Neymar shared that he is taking life “one day at a time” and hinted that he might consider retirement by December 2026.
“I can’t predict what will happen next year. By December, I might feel ready to retire. I’m focused on year-by-year goals. This year is crucial for Santos and the Brazilian National Team, especially with the World Cup approaching, and it’s a significant challenge for me as well.”
The Santos forward elaborated on his recovery journey from knee surgery and stressed that while he could have returned sooner, he aimed to be “pain-free and fearless.”
“I wanted to come back this season at 100%, which is why I decided to delay my return for a few games. I know there are plenty of uninformed opinions out there, but I had to be patient. Santos created an excellent plan that really helped me. Of course, I wished to return sooner to support my team, but I prioritized being completely fit. I’m happy with my performance in this match and feel better than I did before. I know I need to regain match rhythm, but I have confidence that I’ll improve with more training and perseverance. It’s all about taking it one day at a time until I reach my full form.”
Neymar has limited time to showcase his abilities to coach Carlo Ancelotti, aiming to solidify his place on the Brazilian National Team as they pursue their long-awaited sixth World Cup title in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.
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Coach Ancelotti has made it clear that he will call Neymar up only when he is fully fit.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.