Brazilian and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Neymar will hope to fire his country to their sixth World Cup glory when they kickstart their campaign in the 2022 edition in Qatar. But will the coveted tournament be the icon's last outing?
Brazil will look to clinch a record sixth FIFA World Cup title when they kickstart their campaign in the 2022 edition in Qatar. Apart from the young sensational players in the squad, a lot will depend on superstar Neymar's performance. The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star has been in sublime form this season, and fans will hope the 30-year-old carries the same into the tournament when it begins on November 20.
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The Qatar World Cup 2022 will be Neymar's PSG teammate and Argentinian icon Lionel Messi's last outing in the coveted tournament. It could probably be Cristiano Ronaldo's last appearance in the showpiece event. But apart from the two legends, other superstars could be participating on the grandest football stage for the last time. Is Neymar one among them?
In an interview with the Brazilian newspaper 'O Globo', Neymar stated that the Qatar World Cup 2022 could be his last outing, leaving fans surprised given that he is still 30 and most certainly has a few years of football left in him. "I will play as if it were my last. Let's play every game as if it were the last because we don't know tomorrow. I can't guarantee that I will play another World Cup, I honestly don't know," he said.
Beating Brazilian great Pele will be one of Neymar's goals in Qatar, in addition to capturing World Cup glory. According to FIFA statistics, the former Barcelona icon needs three goals to surpass Pele as the leading scorer in the national team's history. Pele scored 77 goals, compared to Neymar's 75. "Pele is football. Pele is practically everything for our country. The respect and admiration I have for him is enormous," he said.
Of course, winning the trophy with the Brazilian national team is on Neymar's mind. And after the World Cup, he will undoubtedly face the challenge of helping PSG win his first Champions League. The Brazilian may get closer to accomplishing something he has never done in his career—winning his first Ballon d'Or. But a more nuanced Neymar is revealed in the interview with O Globo.
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"I like to play football, I like to win. I like to be better than I am every day. I like to help my teammates, that's the main thing. I hope my name will be engraved in football history. If not in football, then in someone's life," Neymar concluded.