Author: Soorya G
Neymar was enjoying his vacation in Brazil, but rest was not on his agenda on Thursday morning. While still dealing with the consequences of having publicly apologized to his girlfriend Bruna Biancardi the day before, the striker found himself in the headlines for another reason: the closure of an artificial lake on his property in Mangaratiba, Rio de Janeiro, where his father received a warning from the authorities. He returned to Paris Saint-Germain after five months of inactivity, only to be told by the French club that he was not in their plans. Consequently, he accepted the challenge of helping to develop soccer in Saudi Arabia, signing a two-year contract with Al-Hilal worth R$1.7 billion.
In the midst of these changes, Neymar returned to the Brazilian national team, embarking on what could be his last World Cup cycle. In an interview with TV Globo’s Esporte Espetacular program, the 31-year-old revealed his desire to play in the United States and promised to return to Santos, the club that gave him the opportunity to shine on the world stage.
Neymar hopes to play in the 2026 World Cup (when he will be 34) and fulfill his dream of becoming a world champion. The player pointed out that the current national team coach, Fernando Dinis, is now an ideal choice for the national team: ” I think he’s a good coach. They say Ancelotti will replace him later; well, he’ll be very well received, a famous specialist who has achieved everything possible in his career.”
Asked about a possible return to Santos in the future, Neymar replied without hesitation that he has always been a fan of the team that gave him his start in soccer. Let’s remember that he played for the club from 2009 to 2013, winning the 2011 Copa Libertadores. Then there was Barcelona, PSG…
“Yes, I want to return to Santos, I’ve already talked about it. I don’t know when, but I can be sure I’ll be back.”
Neymar mentioned that he doesn’t usually watch soccer, but confessed that he misses the action on the pitch. The Brazilian veteran praised the atmosphere within the national team, stressing that morale was always high. He recognized the quality of the players and described the people as wonderful. The former Barcelona star also expressed his hope of returning to the national team one day, but emphasized the need to focus first on his injury and recovery in order to come back strong.
When asked about Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, who Marquinhos declares are the team’s brightest stars, Neymar replied in the affirmative: “Vini and Rodrygo are two very talented players, two stars who I’m sure will take on a starring role. I’ve never been a selfish guy, on the contrary, the more protagonists you have in your team, the better your team is. I’m happy that they’re arriving and are already at this level, helping the Brazilian national team, which is very important. Vini and Rodrygo are two boys I really like and talk to a lot. I hope to help; everyone knows me, they know my character, they know who I am on and off the pitch.”