Brazilian footballer Neymar has said that next year’s FIFA World Cup in Qatar could be his last.
Neymar, who has played more than 100 times for Brazil over the past 11 years, is his country’s second-highest scorer of all time after Pelé and featured at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
“I think it’s my last World Cup,” the 29-year-old said in a new documentary, Neymar Jr and The Line Of Kings, produced by DAZN. “I see it as my last because I don’t know if I have the strength of mind to deal with football anymore.
“So I’ll do anything to turn up well, do everything to win with my country, to realize my greatest dream since I was little. And I hope I can do it.”
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Having lost in the semifinals and quarterfinals of the last two World Cups, Brazil currently sits at the top of South America’s qualifying group for next year’s World Cup on 28 points after 10 games.
Neymar scored his 12th World Cup qualifying goal when Brazil beat Peru last month, taking his tally for his country to 69, eight behind Pelé’s record.
He featured in Sunday’s 0-0 draw against Colombia, a result that still leaves Brazil six points clear at the top of its qualifying group ahead of Argentina.
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Having won the World Cup on five previous occasions – the last coming in 2002 – the Seleção have suffered disappointment in recent editions.
In the 2014 tournament – which saw Neymar miss the latter stages through injury – Brazil lost 7-1 to Germany in the semifinals, and in 2018, the side exited the competition in the quarterfinals after a 2-1 defeat against Belgium.
CNN’s Aleks Klosok contributed to reporting
