Neymar to play until 'I can no longer perform as I want to'

Brazil forward Neymar has said he will continue playing football until he can 'no longer perform' as he wants to.

Neymar, 33, recently signed a contract extension with Santos until the end of the year, with an option to extend it through the 2026 World Cup.

During an interview carried out by his family members and friends, Neymar was asked by his wife, Bruna Biancardi, why he continues playing professionally and he said: "What drives me is the love I still feel for football.

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"The desire I feel to play, to be on the field, that's what drives me every day; to wake up, to train. The love I feel for football will never end. It will stay with me for the rest of my life. At some point, the desire to play, because I can no longer do it, because I can no longer perform as I want to, will end ... As long as I still have the desire to play football, you'll have to share me, my love."

Neymar rejoined boyhood club Santos earlier this year after ending his contract with Al Hilal.

He spent much of his time in the Saudi Pro League on the sidelines due to an ACL injury he sustained while on international duty with Brazil in October 2023.

Recurring muscular injuries have limited Neymar to three goals and three assists in 15 games for Santos this year and prevented him from making his long-awaited return to the national team.

Neymar has often faced scrutiny for his lifestyle. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star opened up about criticism.

"I can't control other people's thoughts," he told his wife. "It's difficult to answer people who understand absolutely nothing about our lives...Judging is easy, but understanding what's behind it is difficult...I've spent my entire career a little sad because of this, because of people who don't know me talking about me and not just about football.

"I know I'm a good person, it's difficult to confront...I would like them to give more importance to what really matters: on the pitch.

"Nowadays, with the internet and social media, it's difficult for people to focus solely on the athlete himself.

"It's bad, sad, to be judged in a certain way, sometimes even hated by people who don't know me, who aren't part of my daily life, who don't know the effort I put in for myself and my family. It's difficult to stop and see on the internet what isn't reality. I have a strong mindset when it comes to the internet.

"I can look at it, but it doesn't hurt me, it doesn't hurt me mentally.

"My football career will end, my name will remain in history, but it will end, years will pass, other players and generations will come and go. I always say that the people who know me are what matter."