In a recent interview with GE Globo, Brazilian star Neymar shared about what has happened recently in his life and his future directions.

Due to an ankle injury, he had to miss three of Brazil’s friendly matches this year. How do you deal with that?

– It’s bad. I’m someone who doesn’t like to sit and watch football even during a match. I’m not someone who sits on the sofa at home and watches football, I’m not that type of person.

I watched matches of clubs in Brazil. I really miss the football environment in my hometown, it’s a place with very good selection. I felt very happy and excited to be there. Hopefully one day I can return to my hometown, but first I must focus on recovering from my injury and returning as soon as possible.

When he was absent from the national team, there were many discussions about who could take on the role of leading the team. In several interviews, Marquinhos said he believes Vini or Rodrygo are ready for this. What do you think about that, Neymar?

– I can also see that future. Vini and Rodrygo are two very quality players, two stars that I’m sure will be the leaders of Brazil in the future. In my opinion, they were and are the players who lead Brazil, regardless of whether I’m on the field or not.

I have never been a selfish person, quite the contrary, I hope the team I play for has as many leaders as possible. Because if you have such players, your team will be very strong. I’m very happy that now both Vini and Rodrygo have reached the level of a superstar, they are really helping the Brazilian team a lot.

But most importantly, Vini and Rodrygo are two friends that I love very much. I consider them as brothers and friends and talk to each other a lot. I hope to be able to help all members of the team, where everyone knows their personality and character both on and off the field.

Since we’re talking about Vini Jr, I’d like you to comment a bit on the times when racism worked against Vinicius. As a friend of Vini, how did you react to that?

– Sad, very sad, this world has really changed too much. All the assumptions about skin color, or anything related to racism, have now changed. It’s really sad to see a friend go through something like that. It’s not just Vini, everyone who has experienced racism feels it’s really bad. I’m also someone who has gone through that and I always try to put it out of my mind. That’s also what I tried to convey to Vini.

After what happened with Vini, I asked him how he felt. He tells me, sometimes jokingly about it, that he’s just trying to get it all out of his head now. Because basically that problem has existed for a long time and it’s not Vini or our fault.

Obviously we must know what is right and what is wrong. Influential figures should have issued many sanctions for those excessive actions and, if necessary, should have stopped everything to prevent it from happening again. The story is not just mine and Vini’s, everyone’s story must be the same. If you see anyone being offended or receiving prejudice, stand up to defend them if they don’t have the courage to do so. We are all fit to become heroes who defend justice. It’s sad, the world is so dirty now that it has to go through such terrible things. But I have faith in God that one day this will end.

Are there more tools to fight racism today? Do people like you have great influence on topics like this?

– We have, now, many things to counteract that. Nowadays the internet reaches you in an easier way, you have this channel and that channel to be open about what you want to say. On Instagram, on social networks, even in different hemispheres, we can still influence each other. We can now use social networks to convey good messages, social networks have good and bad points. But that depends on each person’s perspective, how they express their opinion. But most importantly they must be themselves.

Since we’re talking about your friends, let’s move on a bit to Messi! How did you feel when you saw Messi win the World Cup? Many people think that football is very unfair to Leo, do you agree with that thought?

– I’m very happy for the successful year that Leo has had, but at the same time I feel somewhat sad for him because he has to live in both heaven and hell at the same time. Leo has had his days in heaven with Argentina, he has won everything in recent years. But with PSG, Messi seems to have to go through a life in hell. Both he and I had to go through that hell together.

We are sad, both he and I came to PSG with our best efforts to become champions. Both Leo and I wanted to create history there, and for that reason we both tried our best together on the field. Messi and I both came to PSG with the hope of making history. But unfortunately, we couldn’t do that.

Messi did not deserve what he received when he left PSG. For everything he has done and is doing, anyone in this world who knows Messi understands he is a guy who trains and fights with all his heart. If he loses, Leo will certainly be angry, but in my opinion, what he has to accept at PSG is completely unfair. But that story aside, I’m very happy that Messi won the World Cup.

As he said, football at this time is very fair and Messi deserves such a perfect ending at the end of his career.

So do you expect a similar ending for me?

I hope that too *laughs*. Oh my god, I really hope that, obviously I hope that one day I can achieve my biggest dream in life, which is to win the World Cup. That’s an obvious truth for a player like me, but sometimes it doesn’t work out as expected.

In Brazil, we have an ultimate football idol, the biggest name in Brazilian football history, Zico. He also doesn’t have a World Cup but that cannot take away the genius qualities that Zico has shown on the field. And I think that would work for me too.

Messi went to America, Ronaldo was in Saudi Arabia and some other players also went to the Middle East. Did you think at any point in your career about playing in a new environment where soccer is less popular?

– I can’t say anything. It’s impossible to know what I will do in the future, I don’t know, it depends a lot on how you are living at that time, what you choose to do and what you want in the future. I still dream of playing football in Brazil again. I also want to compete in America. Those are two tournaments that I really want to compete in once. What about the Arabs? The future here is still very long and the future story depends on many things. There must be careful consideration before making the next decision for your life.

In Brazil there are many expectations for his return, especially from Santos fans. It seems like there has been some contact between you and Santos recently. Can you reveal something to your fans?

– Oh my god, I’ve never stopped missing Santos, I’ve always been a club guy, I’m Santos. Now I come back because I have the opportunity to come here to watch the matches, sometimes I don’t have time to come watch the team play because of travel but in the end I still try to arrange some time to Come watch the club play.

I think some people have created confusion between my family and Santos, they have nothing to do with this. The press reported a lot of false information about this matter. It was bad at that time, today everyone watches the news every day and it’s bad when you have to read fake news, false news. I’m not one to justify things online, everyone who knows me understands how things are.

Recently, Santos fans are hoping he will return to competition, even asking him to attract investors. Can you help the team behind the scenes?

– Obviously yes, if I have the opportunity of course I will do it for Santos. I will try my best for the team. I want Santos to return to the worthy position that the club previously had. Santos is a big club, I hope the leaders of Santos will take the best care of the team so the club can return to the top.

Many Brazilian clubs are placing their trust in foreign coaches and currently Brazil is also following that path. Brazil is waiting for the years of guidance of Carlo Ancelotti. Do you think the Selecao can have a more modern and closer playing style with this change?

– Everyone has their own abilities and values. The Brazilian national team will have the opportunity to work with foreign coaches. I know very little about the names that people are speculating, some other coaches I know have also rumored about many potential coaches. In my opinion, the right coach for the national team would be Fernando Diniz. I once opened up about leading the national team to him because Fernando is a great coach. It will be very good for Brazil if he comes to power.

I’m sharing here today but I don’t really know anything, I’ve never talked to anyone about this. If it were Ancelotti, he would be very warmly welcomed because he is a famous coach and has won many titles during his coaching career. If I really have the opportunity to work with him, I will try to communicate as much as possible to seek his playing experience and convey what he wants to his teammates in Brazil.

In Brazil, we talk a lot with the youth, and the same with the coach. That is the right to freedom of speech when communicating at work. I can’t say if there will be any foreign coaches working here in the future, but all decisions depend a lot on what the president of the Brazilian Football Federation makes.

You are preparing to become a father for the second time, right? How do you feel now and is there any difference regarding Davi Lucca when he is still a child?

– It’s different. The second time you become a father, everything will be different from the first time. When I was 19 years old, I received it in a very fearful way. At that time I didn’t want to play in the final, I was afraid of everything and didn’t know what to do. But that doesn’t happen today anymore, my eldest son is 12 years old and this is the second time I’ve become a father. It’s honestly super happy, my whole family feels the same way. When a child is born, they will be welcomed with love and care. Children are a gift from God so I think when they are born they can change the lives of many people. I have experienced those happy feelings once, and now I will do it again.

Neymar’s eldest son

Will having another child have any impact on your personal life and performance on the field?

– You know, when we have children, we have another “open-mouth ship” at home, haha. Putting those happy stories aside, your children are like an endless love that always supports you wholeheartedly in the stands and you know that no matter what, they will still be by your side. Adding another member to the family, everyone is very happy and receives that happiness.

We are conducting this interview at the place where he is being treated, where dozens of poor children are also being supported. We see the love the children have for you? How will this affect you?

– It’s really fun. I’m so happy to come here and be so welcomed. Children have pure love and the happiest thing in the world is to receive that pure love from children.

Supporting the children here is the most beautiful gesture I can leave behind and my actions can truly change the lives of many children. I don’t have to live the life they have to live here, the kids also speak a different language than me, but they have a passion for learning about everything from soccer, swimming, robotics,… Really It is very rewarding that I can create such positive things while undergoing treatment here.

Do you see yourself in those children?

Yes. I understand because I have also been through the same things they are facing. I have always been an enthusiastic fan of many athletes and players around the world. When I saw them, I just wanted to rush over and hug them quickly without being able to say anything. I understand the affection and admiration of the child here and feel an immediate bond with them.

In conclusion, what kind of person do you want to be seen as in the future?

– I have always lived most sincerely throughout my career. In my career, there have been times when I have made a lot of mistakes, but I have always been someone who wants to go back and do things right. Going forward, I want people to remember me as a true player who always made a difference wherever I went. For me, that is enough satisfaction.

Source: Neymar’s GE Globo interview: “Neymar se compara a Zico e faz promessa ao Santos: “Pode ter certeza que vou voltar”