Neymar’s father has urged his son to keep playing football after Brazil’s painful World Cup elimination fuelled fresh speculation over the 34-year-old’s future.
The appeal came after Neymar suggested that his time with the Brazilian national team was over following the 2-1 defeat to Norway in the last 16. He scored a late penalty, but it was not enough to prevent Brazil’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990.
According to SoccerNews, via Stats Perform, Neymar’s father and agent, Neymar Pai, posted an emotional message on Instagram asking his son not to give up the game entirely.
A father’s message after a painful exit
Neymar has not made a long public statement since Brazil’s elimination, but his father used Instagram to frame the defeat as a difficult moment rather than the end of the story.
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“Son, keep playing football,” Neymar Pai wrote.
He also urged him to reconnect with the joy that made him one of the defining players of his generation.
“Rediscover the joy of having the ball at your feet. Smile again on the field,” he added.
The message was striking because it came not only from a father, but also from one of the most influential figures in Neymar’s career. Neymar Pai has long played a central role in his son’s professional life, from his rise at Santos to his years at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Al Hilal and his return to Brazil.
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Neymar appeared to close the Brazil chapter
The emotional post followed Neymar’s own words after Brazil’s defeat in New Jersey, where he strongly indicated that his international career had reached its end.
Quoted by The Star, in a Reuters report by Fernando Kallas, Neymar said: “I tried, I tried … Now it’s over! I started here, I finished here.”
The reference was to the New York New Jersey Stadium, where Neymar made his Brazil debut against the United States in 2010. Sixteen years later, the same venue appeared to mark the end of his time with the national team.
As reported by beIN Sports, Neymar leaves the Brazil team as the country’s all-time leading scorer, with 80 goals, and as only the second Brazilian after Pelé to score at four different World Cups.
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Club future still unresolved
Neymar’s international farewell does not automatically mean he is retiring from club football. He remains under contract with Santos until the end of 2026, and his father’s message appeared to focus on keeping him active on the pitch rather than reversing his Brazil decision.
That distinction matters. Neymar’s body has been through years of injuries, and his return to Santos was partly seen as a route back to rhythm before the World Cup. His late involvement for Brazil in the tournament underlined how difficult that road had been.
For now, there has been no final statement on his club future. But after another World Cup disappointment, his father’s public plea has added a personal layer to the debate around Neymar’s next step.
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