Neymar admits retirement could come when Santos contract expires

Neymar has revealed he could call time on his storied playing career when his current contract with Santos expires in December, just months after his international career was brought to a close.

The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star returned to his first club in January 2025 following an injury-hit stint in Saudi Arabia with Al-Hilal. Since returning to Brazil, he has scored 14 goals in 29 league matches — the most of any Santos player over that span and joint-eighth among the entire Serie A.

"I'm not thinking about stopping, nor do I know how long I'll carry on," Neymar said in a video posted to his YouTube channel. "I have a contract with Santos until December.

"I intend to see it through, to honour the Santos shirt as best I can, and then I'll think about it when my contract ends... whether I stay at Santos, move on, stop playing or carry on. I really don't know what I'm going to do. There's still a long way to go until December, so let's take it one step at a time."

A glittering international career already over

Neymar's international future was already settled during the 2025 World Cup. His strong domestic form earned him a recall to the Brazil squad under Carlo Ancelotti, and in doing so he became only the second Seleçao player — after Pelé — to score at four different World Cups. However, he was unable to prevent Brazil's round-of-16 exit at the hands of Norway.

Ancelotti was criticised for bringing Neymar on with that last-16 tie still poised at 0-0, and he confirmed after the tournament that his international career was over.

A legacy of records and silverware

Neymar remains Brazil's all-time leading scorer, netting 80 goals in 130 senior caps, having surpassed Pelé — who previously held the record with 78 — almost three years ago.

His trophy cabinet includes 28 titles, featuring two LaLiga crowns and one Champions League with Barcelona, as well as five Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain. His €222m (£200m) transfer from Barcelona to PSG in 2017 remains the most expensive in the history of world football.

Remarkable club numbers

Before leaving Europe, Neymar had delivered outstanding numbers: 164 goal involvements in 186 games for Barcelona (105 goals, 59 assists), and 173 contributions in 173 outings for PSG (118 goals, 70 assists). Whether those numbers will be added to beyond December remains entirely in the balance.