Brazilian star Neymar da Silva sidestepped any decisive statement about his footballing future last Monday, amid growing speculation that he may retire when his Santos contract expires at the close of this year. His father and agent, meanwhile, insisted that his son "will continue playing football".
Asked about his future during a charity auction he organised in Sao Paulo, the 34-year-old said: "When my contract ends, I'll think about staying at Santos, leaving, or retiring. I really don't know what I'll do." He added: "We're taking things step by step, match after match. I feel I'm in good physical condition."
The ambiguity comes just weeks after Neymar ended his international career, following Brazil's painful last-16 exit at the 2026 World Cup to Norway (1-2). He scored a late penalty that trimmed the deficit in vain, then broke down in a flood of tears.
His father, Neymar da Silva Santos, was rather clearer. "Neymar loves playing football. What else would he do?" he joked. "He hasn't received a medical certificate yet, so he'll carry on playing." The message was plain: retirement is not on the table for now.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward remains contracted to the club where he came through the ranks until next December. Doubts linger over whether he can keep going after the string of injuries that have plainly sapped his physical level in recent years.
Off the pitch, Neymar draws stinging criticism over his lifestyle. His recent appearance at a poker tournament, while his Santos teammates played a Copa Sudamericana tie in Venezuela, sparked a wave of anger among Brazilian fans and media alike.
Next week brings a defining test. Santos face Ecuadorian side Macara in the last 16 of the Copa Sudamericana, a match that could shape Neymar's future one way or another: staying, leaving, or retiring for good.