According to AS via Giffer, Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar admitted to the Brazilian magazine in an interview that he once considered an early retirement from football.
The exact time that the tricky attacker was contemplating this is not clear, as some media outlets are suggesting it was after Neymar’s world-record transfer from Barcelona, for £198m per the Guardian.
Neymar admits in a telling interview that he was once left ‘wondering’ whether he should continue ‘playing’, since some people don’t appear to ‘like’ him at times.
The now 28-year-old added that he put that thought out of his mind when he went home one day and remembered all the work that it took to get to this level – one of the most famous athletes around.
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Here’s what the forward had to say on the dark moment during his illustrious career:
“Once I got to the point of wondering if I wanted to keep playing football, since people don’t like it. I went home one day with a hot head and then I began to remember everything I did to get here.”
“The love that I have for football it calms me down and that brought me back to reality.”
“I am a person who easily handles pressure, that is why I am the 10th of the Brazilian team, PSG and I am simply Neymar.”
“I am very grateful to represent teams like PSG and Brazil. I know I have to give 100% when I play because that’s what everyone expects.”
Neymar has faced insurmountable pressure from an extremely young age, it’s not much of a surprise to learn that quitting once crossed his mind.
Perhaps it’s a reminder that fans and pundits alike shouldn’t heap too much on players’ shoulders, Neymar has been one of the best players in the world for ages and still faces criticism very often.
Neymar also carries a massive weight in leading the Brazil national team, with the forward already having won 103 caps and constantly tasked with leading the side to success in major tournaments.