Neymar Considering Retirement by End of Year Amid Injury Struggles

Brasilia. World football's most expensive player and Brazil's record goalscorer, Neymar, has revealed that he is considering retiring from football by the end of this year. The 34-year-old striker has indicated that continuous injuries in recent seasons have made it difficult for him to advance his career.

Speaking to the Brazilian online channel KAJES, he stated that he is uncertain about what will happen next year and that the thought of ending his playing career by December might arise. His record transfer fee of \u00a3200 million when he moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2017 remains the highest in football history.

Neymar, who returned to his childhood club Santos in January 2025 after leaving the Saudi club Al-Hilal, had renewed his contract until the end of 2026. However, following knee surgery last December, he missed the start of this season's matches. Having recently returned to the field, he mentioned that he has now started living on a 'year-to-year' basis plan.

Neymar, who broke the record of the great player Pel the by scoring 79 goals for Brazil, has not played for the national team since October 2023. He admitted that securing a spot in the World Cup scheduled for this June-July is a major challenge for him.

His final wish is to return to the Brazilian squad under the training of Carlo Ancelotti and play in the World Cup. Stating that this year is very important for Santos, the national team, and his personal career, it appears he might make a formal decision about retirement after the World Cup.