AL-RAYYAN, Qatar (News Wires) — Pele urged Neymar to “keep inspiring us” after the Brazil forward dropped a retirement hint following his team’s shock World Cup defeat to Croatia.
Neymar signalled he could be ready to quit international football on Friday after Brazil suffered an agonising quarter-final exit in Doha.
The 30-year-old would not confirm if he would play for the five-time champions again after a match in which he equalled Pele’s record goalscoring haul of 77 goals for the Selecao.
“I am not closing any doors on the national team but I am also not guaranteeing 100 percent that I will return,” said Neymar, who left the field in tears following the penalty shootout loss.
Pele, 82, said in a message on Instagram that he hoped the superstar forward would carry on playing, adding that goalscoring achievements were no match for the honour of representing Brazil.
“You know, as I do, that no number is greater than the joy of representing our country,” Pele wrote on Instagram according to AFP.
“I’m 82 years old, and after all this time, I hope I’ve inspired you in some way to get this far…. Your legacy is far from over.
“Keep inspiring us. I will continue punching the air with happiness with every goal you score, as I have done in every game I’ve seen you on the pitch.”
Pele, who was hospitalised earlier this month during treatment for colon cancer, congratulated Neymar for equalling his goalscoring record.
“I learned that the more time passes, the more our legacy grows,” Pele wrote.
“My record was set almost 50 years ago, and no one has been able to get close to it until now. You made it, my boy. That adds to the greatness of your achievement.”
It was Neymar third failure at a World Cup, and his only triumphs with the national team are the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, when Brazil won its first gold medal in soccer.
Neymar said it wasn’t the time to talk about his future with the national team.
“Honestly, I don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s hard to talk about it right now,” he said.
“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 Selecao, but I’m also not saying 100% that I want to be back.”
Neymar scored Friday to move level with Pele as Brazil´s all-time leading scorer with 77 goals, but the Selecao ended up losing to Croatia 4-2 in a penalty shootout in the quarter-finals after the match finished 1-1 after extra time.
Neymar never had a chance to take a penalty after Rodrygo and Marquinhos missed their spot kicks.
“He would have taken the fifth penalty,” Brazil coach Tite said according to AP. “That’s the one with the most pressure, and he would be the player with the most quality and mental preparedness to take the shot.”
Neymar scored his goal in extra time with a right-footed shot after getting through the defense and dribbling past the Croatia goalkeeper to match Pele´s record. He entered the tournament two goals shy of the milestone, and scored his 76th in the round of 16 against South Korea after returning from an ankle injury.
Brazil was close to returning to the semi-finals for the first time since 2014, but instead Neymar looked in anguish from midfield as Croatia substitute Bruno Petkovic equalized in the 117th minute.
Neymar also didn’t play in the last four of the tournament that Brazil hosted eight years ago. He suffered a serious back injury in the quarterfinals against Colombia and then saw his teammates lose 7-1 to Germany.
The 30-year-old Neymar scored his 77 goals in 124 matches for Brazil. Pele´s goals came in 92 appearances with the national team between 1957 and 1971.
Pele remained in a hospital in Brazil as he gets treatment for a respiratory infection that was aggravated by COVID-19. The latest medical report said the 82-year-old Pele, who last year had surgery to remove a colon tumor, was improving.
