Neymar: I’d love play in MLS before I retire
Ale Moreno showers Kylian Mbappe with praise after his performance in Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-0 win over Real Madrid in Champions League. (1:11)
Brazil forward Neymar has expressed his interest in playing in Major League Soccer in the future.
Neymar is under contract with Paris Saint-Germain until June 2025 but is already thinking about his future.
Asked if he would like to retire in Brazil, Neymar, 30, said on a podcast: “I don’t know. I have some doubts about that. I don’t know if I’ll play in Brazil again.
“I’d love to play in the U.S., actually. I’d love to play there at least for a season.”
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When asked why, the former Barcelona star said: “First of all, their season is shorter, so I’d get three months’ vacation” and then he said laughing that would mean “I’d play many more years.”
Neymar, who made his professional debut at 17 with Brazilian club Santos, doesn’t know how long he will play for before retiring.
“I joke with my friends that I will retire when I’m 32,” he said.
“But it’s just a joke. I don’t know. Honestly, I will play until I’m mentally tired. If my mental health is ok and my body as well… Physically, I think I’ll still last a few years. But my mental health is the most important thing. My contract with Paris will last until I’m 34. So I’ll be playing [at least] until then.”
If he does play in MLS, Neymar would follow the footsteps of his idol Pele, who played two years for the New York Cosmos. Before making a move to North America, Neymar has a few targets to reach. Neymar and his PSG teammates want to make history by helping the club win the Champions League for the first time.
PSG have a 1-0 advantage over Real Madrid in their round-of-16 tie.
“Now we’re hoping to make history at Paris Saint-Germain,” Neymar said.
“We’ll see what the future holds. We’re working very hard. Of course, the team needs to gear up a little more. But we’re hoping to make history winning against [Real] Madrid.”
Neymar also has the aim of winning his first World Cup in sight and breaking Pele’s goalscoring national team record. He has scored 70 goals for Brazil, seven shy of Pele.
“We will go in search of the World Cup which is what everyone wants,” Neymar said.
“It would be a great honour to be the national team’s greatest scorer and I would be lying if I said I don’t think about it. Of course, that is one of my personal goals. I hope to achieve it. I do hope I can break Pele’s record because he’s an idol for everyone in Brazil.”