Brazil superstar Neymar Jr. refused to confirm whether he will play another FIFA World Cup after the Selecao were eliminated by Croatia in the quarter-final of the 2022 edition.
The last-eight game was a close affair. It went into extra time after a goalless stalemate for 90 minutes.
Neymar gave his side the lead in injury time in the first half of extra time. It was a goal for the ages as the Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar weaved through the Croatian defense with the help of Lucas Paqueta. The no. 10 had the composure to get through Dominik Livakovic and find the roof of the net.
However, Bruno Petkovic’s shot deflected off Marquinhos and found the back of the net for Vatreni.
The game headed to penalties. Vatreni scored all four of theirs while the Selecao could only convert two. Rodrygo’s effort was saved while Marquinhos hit the post with the last attempt.
The PSG no. 10 didn’t even get the chance to take a spot-kick. The 31-year-old was asked after the game whether this was the last time he represented Brazil in the FIFA World Cup. He replied:
“It’s too early to say that. I’ve no clear ideas yet — I can’t guarantee anything.”
The game was a historic occasion for Neymar at a personal level as he equalled Pele’s tally of 77 to become his country’s all-time leading scorer.
Neymar and Brazil to have new coach as Tite stepped down after the 2022 FIFA World Cup
Neymar and Brazil will have a new coach as Tite stepped down after their FIFA World Cup exit. The outgoing coach said after the game (via The Guardian):
“The cycle has ended, and I keep to my word. There are other great professionals that can replace me. When their goalkeeper is the best player on the field, the game is talking to you. We had to be more effective in making goals. But did Brazil show their best? Overall, yes.”
Tite further added:
“I understand that I am the most responsible, but we are all responsible for the loss. It’s not about being a hero or a villain. There is no such thing in sports. Sometimes we have a great performance, we shoot at goal, and the ball deviates. That’s normal. But I can respect the result.”
The 61-year-old took over as the coach of Selecao in 2016. He was at the helm for 914 matches and won 467. There were 202 losses and 245 draws. Overall, he ends his managerial tenure with a win percentage of 51.09 percent.