Ronaldo thinks Neymar still has a crucial role for Brazil after their World Cup defeat.
The Selecao icon, who won two World Cups in 1994 and 2002, thinks Brazil’s talisman will return stronger in four years.
Neymar’s goal in extra time of Friday’s quarterfinal gave Brazil hope of a sixth World Cup title. Bruno Petkovic’s 117th-minute equalizer preceded penalty misery.
Neymar missed Brazil’s fifth penalty after Rodrygo and Marquinhos missed. Croatia converted all four penalties to reach the semifinals.
Neymar said after the loss he didn’t know whether he’d play international football again, despite needing one more goal to overtake Pele as Brazil’s all-time greatest scorer.
Ronaldo stated Neymar is furious by Brazil’s World Cup loss.
“Naturally, he’s feeling that way, but I’m confident he’ll come back stronger and play for the national team.”
Ronaldo also emphasized Neymar’s sacrifice throughout the tournament, highlighting his choice to participate in the final stages despite an ankle issue.
“I’m glad he’s shown dedication to Brazil in the previous six months. He’s good. Self-sufficient First match: good. His ankle was smashed, “saying
“He sacrificed much to play for his country again. In the last match, he performed well. He’s crucial to us. I hope he recovers quickly and returns strongly to PSG and Brazil.”
The 2026 World Cup will be shared between the USA, Canada, and Mexico, with 16 locations in the US. The competition will increase to 48 teams, changing the group stage structure.
Neymar will be 34 by then, but he should draw inspiration from Lionel Messi (35), Luka Modric (37), and Olivier Giroud (36) in Qatar.
