Neymar has moved to calm any talk of hanging up his boots altogether, insisting his only firm plan is to see out his contract at Santos through December — even as he has already closed the book on his international career.
"I am not thinking about retirement. I have a contract with Santos until December, and I want to do my best for the club," Neymar said, according to ONE.
He was clear that any decision on what comes next will wait. "After that I will consider my options. Stay, leave, retire, continue playing... I don't know, there's still time until December and we'll see what happens," he added.
The comments come roughly a week after Neymar confirmed he was done playing for the Seleção, following Brazil's Round of 16 exit from the 2026 World Cup. He leaves international football as Brazil's all-time leading scorer, with 80 goals in 130 caps across four World Cups.
The 34-year-old's club situation remains genuinely open. Brazilian reports have suggested he is not expected to sign a new deal at Santos once his current contract expires, leaving the destination of one of the sport's biggest names unresolved for now.
Adding another layer to the story, Neymar's father and long-time adviser, Neymar Sr., recently suggested a Seleção return could not be entirely ruled out, saying: "I cannot guarantee he is done with the national team 100%. Maybe he will come back."
Neymar responded to his father's remarks with a lighthearted comeback rather than a rebuttal, according to ONE, making clear the door he closed on Brazil duty is not the one he's focused on right now — his priority, in his own words, is finishing the job at Santos.
