Brazilian soccer superstar Neymar Jr. was the main talking point about Brazil’s 4-2 loss in a penalty shootout against Croatia in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 quarterfinals. He took the footballing world by scoring the night’s first goal in the first half of the extra time. However, Croatia soon replied with an equalizer as the game was then forced into a shootout.
While Brazil converted only two out of the four attempts in the shootout, Croatia managed to score on all four attempts and advanced into the semifinals of the FIFA World Cup 2022. With the loss, the former 5-time champions got eliminated from the marquee football event. Neymar had a tough time digesting the loss as he was seen sobbing relentlessly.
Neymar sheds light on his future with Brazil after World Cup exit
It is pertinent to mention that, ahead of the 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup, Neymar hinted that it could be his last appearance at the prestigious quadrennial event. While the 30-year-old wanted to help Brazil lift their sixth overall World Cup title, which would have been the team’s first since 2002, Croatia’s victory on Saturday night certainly casted doubts on the players future with the Brazilian national team. The Paris-Saint Germain (PSG) footballer shed his feelings on the disappointing end of Brazil’s campaign in Qatar and also made notable revelations about his future with the team.
As reported by the Associated Press, Neymar admitted that he doesn’t know what is up for him in the future. He further added that he can’t guarantee anything about the future, seeking some time to ponder upon it. However, he also said that he is not closing any doors to the Brazilian squad as of now.
‘I’m also not saying 100% that I want to be back’: Neymar Jr.
“Honestly, I don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s hard to talk about it right now. It would be too hasty to come here and say that this is it, but I can’t guarantee anything. I have to take some time to think about it. I’m not closing any doors to the Seleção, but I’m also not saying 100% that I want to be back,” Neymar said.
Neymar’s goal at 105+1 minutes of the match at the Education City Stadium put him on level with the legendary footballer Pele in a unique list of records. With his goal, the star footballer equalled Pele’s record tally of 77 goals for Brazil in international football. It is pertinent to mention that this was the third time Neymar failed to lift the prestigious FIFA World Cup gold with Brazil.
