Brazil’s matches against France and Croatia on March 26 in Boston and March 31 in Orlando, respectively, will be the last encounters before Ancelotti names his final World Cup roster on May 18.

After the squad was revealed on Monday, Neymar told media at an event in Sao Paulo he was “upset and sad” for not being picked by Ancelotti for the two friendlies.

“But my focus remains, day after day, training after training, match after match. We will reach our goal, there’s still the final squad,” Neymar said.

Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, has not played for the national team since October 2023, when he tore the ACL and meniscus in his left knee. The former Barcelona star reiterated on Sunday his desire to compete for Brazil at the World Cup after playing 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw with Corinthians, a game which had two of Ancelotti’s assistants in attendance.

Neymar, 34, did not stand out after sitting out in the previous match in midweek that had Ancelotti in the stands.

“Neymar is not at 100 percent and therefore he is not on the list,” Ancelotti said on Monday. “Neymar is not at 100 percent of his capability. If he can be at 100 percent physically, he can be there. Neymar could be at the World Cup. Neymar has to keep working, playing, showcasing his qualities and maintaining good physical condition.”

Endrick, who has scored six goals in 12 appearances since joining Lyon from Real Madrid in the winter transfer window, has been named by Ancelotti for the first time since the coach took over in June.

Brentford’s Igor Thiago has earned his first call up and is part of Brazil’s 26-man squad.

Barcelona forward Raphinha and Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior lead Brazil’s attack with Chelsea’s João Pedro and Matheus Cunha also included. Midfielder Lucas Paquetá, who joined Flamengo from West Ham United in January, has been left out but veteran Manchester United midfielder Casemiro is in the roster.

“We are preparing well for this World Cup. We want to arrive in the best possible condition technically, physically and mentally,” Ancelotti said. “There are players who deserve to be here because they are doing well in their respective leagues, as is the case of Endrick, Rayan, Danilo.”

Ancelotti also talked Monday about extending his stay as manager of Brazil through the 2030 World Cup, saying the Brazil federation is set to give him a new contract to stay on after this summer.

“When a couple wants to carry on I think there’s no problem,” Ancelotti said. “Either before or after the next World Cup we will make this extension official.”

Brazil begin their World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13. The five-time world champions will also go up against Scotland and Haiti in Group C.

“[Extending] before the World Cup will be cheaper, afterwards it will be more expensive,” Ancelotti quipped. “I am very confident.”

Full Brazil squad:

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Bento (Al Nassr), Éderson (Fenerbahce).

Defenders: Alex Sandro (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Danilo (Flamengo), Douglas Santos (Zenit), Gabriel Magalhães (Arsenal), Ibañez (Al-Ahly), Léo Pereira (Flamengo), Marquinhos (PSG), Wesley (Roma).

Midfielders: Andrey Santos (Chelsea), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Gabriel Sara (Galatasaray).

Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Luiz Henrique (Zenit), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rayan (Bournemouth), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid), João Pedro (Chelsea).

The 34-year-old – whose £200m move from Barcelona to Paris St-Germain in 2017 remains the highest fee paid for a player – has been blighted by injuries in recent seasons.

But he hopes to play in the World Cup for his country this summer.

Neymar rejoined his boyhood club Santos from Saudi club Al-Hilal in January 2025 and extended his contract until the end of 2026.

However after an injury-hampered first year he then missed the start of the Brazilian season in January following knee surgery in late December, and only returned to action last week.

“I don’t know what will happen from now on, I don’t know about next year,” he told Brazilian online channel Caze.

“It may be that when December comes, I’ll want to retire. I’m living year to year now.”

Neymar is the all-time leading scorer for Brazil, with 79 goals – two more than the legendary Pele.

However he last featured for the national team in October 2023 and admitted it was a “huge challenge” to force his way into Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad.

“This year is a very important year, not only for Santos, but also for the Brazilian national team, as it’s a World Cup year, and for me too,” he added.

The 33-year-old, who returned to his boyhood club in January 2025, has not represented five-time World Cup winners Brazil since 2023 amid his struggles with injuries.

The former Barcelona and Paris St-Germain forward played through pain to help Santos avoid relegation from Brazil’s top flight last season, scoring five times in their last five matches.

He then had surgery on his left knee, to repair a damaged meniscus, to boost his hopes of being included in Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti’s plans this summer.

“Santos is my place, I’m at home,” Neymar said in a video posted on the club’s social media.

He told the fans: “It’s with you that I want to achieve the dreams that are still missing.”

Ancelotti said in October that Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer with 79 goals, must be fully fit to earn a recall.

Neymar spent 12 months out after he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in October 2023.

He was due to make his return to the national team last year after a 17-month absence but was forced to withdraw from the squad with a muscle injury.

Brazil will face Scotland, Morocco and Haiti in Group C at the World Cup, which begins on 11 June across Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Injuries have limited Brazil’s all-time leading scorer from being involved with the national side the last two years.

“I thought Neymar was just a topic in Brazil, but I see it’s a global issue,” Ancelotti said in Monday’s press conference.

“Fortunately, he recovered from his injury. Now he has six months to play.

“Neymar is on the list of players who could be at the World Cup. Now he has six months to make the final list. We just have to observe him and other players to avoid making mistakes in the final selection.”

Neymar, 33, has not featured for Brazil since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury while on international duty in October 2023.

He rejoined boyhood club Santos in January in the hope of rediscovering his form but muscular injuries have prevented the star from playing regularly. He has three goals in 16 league appearances for Santos, who are fighting relegation in the Brazilian top flight.

He stormed off angrily after being substituted by Santos against Flamengo, but was defended by coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda.

Ancelotti, who took charge of Brazil in May, believes Neymar has time to return to his best form.

“The Brazilian Championship stops on December 7, then he can take a vacation, but then he’ll have the Brazilian Championship again to show his quality and, obviously, his physical condition,” he said

The 33-year-old Brazilian ace ultimately finished as runner-up, earning around £73,800 in prize money.

It was some consolation on a day when he had to watch the player who once replaced him at Barcelona lift the award he had long hoped to win.

Since coming back to his boyhood club Santos in January, the 33-year-old forward has failed to live up to expectations, drawing more attention for episodes like this than for his football.

His return home after 12 seasons away was meant to be a chance for him to regain his form and, most importantly, revive a passion for the game that seemed gone after frustrating spells with Paris St-Germain and Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.

Instead, it has been widely disappointing for all parties involved.

Such is the situation that the main question being asked right now in Brazil is whether Neymar will make it to the 2026 World Cup.

He’s running out of time.

“Even the stars have to prove that they are fit. The clock is ticking [for him],” 1970 World Cup-winner Tostao wrote in his Folha de S Paulo newspaper column.

On Wednesday, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti announced his squad for the upcoming games against South Korea and Japan and, once again, Neymar was not in it.

“The Prince”, as he was dubbed when welcomed back at Santos in a reference to the king Pele, is yet to play under Ancelotti, having been absent from the Selecao for two years. His last appearance was in the 2-0 defeat by Uruguay in October 2023.

He also remains an injury doubt for the November games, which, in the worst-case scenario, will leave him with only two friendly matches in March 2026 to prove himself to Ancelotti before the announcement of the final list for the World Cup.

“For 15 years, Neymar was Brazil’s undisputed star, carrying enormous expectations and responsibility on his own”, former AC Milan and Roma legend Cafu said.

“But no one wins the World Cup alone. Putting all our hopes on him at the moment is difficult because he struggles to even play three games in a row.”

• ‘If Neymar is left out for technical reasons, something isn’t right’

Not only has Neymar had multiple fitness issues since his return to Brazil – he’s missed 47% of Santos’ matches this season – but, when he was able to play, he was a far cry from the player who during his peak dared to challenge Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, leading PSG to pay Barca a world-record €222m (£200m) fee back in 2017.

Of his nine goal contributions so far, five have come against teams from divisions below Brazil’s top flight – a goal and assist against Agua Santa, followed by a goal and two assists versus Inter de Limeira, all in the Sao Paulo State Championship.

As Santos fight relegation in the Brazilian first tier, the number 10 no longer seems to be the difference maker he once was – according to Sofascore, he ranks only 50th in successful dribbles per game.

Despite that, Ancelotti has insisted that the forward has plenty of time to show he is ready for the World Cup.

“His goal must be to be ready in June. It doesn’t matter if he’s in the squad in October, November or March,” the Italian told L’Equipe newspaper.

Ancelotti stirred local controversy last month by allegedly attempting to protect Neymar, claiming the star had been omitted from the team over fitness concerns.

But then Neymar himself disputed it, saying he “was left out for technical reasons; it has nothing to do with my physical condition”. Ancelotti later admitted it was “a technical decision based on many things”.

In terms of public perception, it certainly didn’t make it any better for Neymar.

“If the player we have placed all our hopes on to deliver the World Cup is left out for technical reasons, clearly something isn’t right,” Cafu said.

• Will Neymar be capable of emulating Ronaldo in 2002?

Research from Datafolha, a leading polling institute, found that Brazilians are divided over whether Neymar should be called up for his fourth World Cup. While 48% support the idea, 41% are against it.

With his 79 goals, Neymar is Brazil’s all-time top scorer, but he hasn’t helped his case much with his behaviour on the pitch either.

He seems more on edge than usual, having argued with fans multiple times in stadiums – it happened in three consecutive matches in July.

The following month, the striker was left in tears after Santos endured a 6-0 home defeat by Vasco da Gama – the biggest loss of his career.

When asked by a reporter about his fitness condition in a post-match interview, he also lost his patience: “Again with this, mate? I’ve answered this 500 times already.”

The same kind of question has been posed to his father and agent Neymar Sr as well. “Neymar’s plan was to spend five months at Santos. For what? To recover. If Neymar managed to play, amen,” he previously explained, causing outrage among supporters.

There’s still a slight hope, however, that Neymar’s best days aren’t over and that he will be able to revive his career the same way striker Ronaldo “Phenomenon” did in 2002 to overcome criticism and injuries to lead Brazil to the World Cup title.

The former Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan legend sees similarities.

“He’s a crucial player for Brazil – there’s no one else like Neymar,” Ronaldo said during a recent event with the forward in Sao Paulo.

“It’s an exaggeration from a minority who believe he’s neglecting his physical recovery. Anyone who has been in football knows perfectly how hard it is to come back from an injury and regain rhythm and confidence. He’s right on track.”

The Santos star has a few decisive months ahead to prove that he’s not the prince who abandoned the throne.

The couple shared the joyous news with fans via social media, posting tender photos of themselves holding their newborn daughter.

Bruna took to Instagram to express her joy, writing:
“Our Mel has arrived to complete and sweeten our lives even more! Welcome, daughter! May God bless your life and free you from all evil! We are looking forward to living this new chapter with you. We love you!”

Mel becomes the fourth child of the 33-year-old footballer. Neymar first became a father in 2011 with the birth of his son, Davi Lucca, with ex-girlfriend Carolina Dantas.

He also has a daughter, Mavie, with Amanda Kimberly, and previously welcomed another daughter, also named Mavie, with Biancardi — adding an interesting note to his growing family tree.

As Neymar continues to recover from injury and aims for a return to the pitch, this personal milestone marks a new and meaningful chapter in his life off the field.

The 33-year-old, who returned from six weeks out with a thigh injury against Fluminense on Sunday, was handed a start against Atletico-MG on Wednesday.

The former Barcelona forward was wearing a special number 100 shirt to commemorate his 100th appearances at Santos’ Vila Belmiro stadium.

But, after gesturing towards the bench following Alvaro Barreal’s goal to put the home side 2-0 up, Neymar sat on the field to await medical attention.

It was quickly decided that he could not continue and a clearly-emotional Neymar was taken off the field on a buggy, holding the left-thigh area that had kept him out for the previous six weeks.

Neymar was consoled by his own team-mates, as well as former Brazil team-mate and Atletico-MG forward Hulk.

“It’s still too early to give any definitive answer, we don’t have a diagnosis yet,” said Santos coach Cesar Sampaio.

“Now we really have to pray that it’s not something that will keep him out for a long time.”

The former Paris St-Germain forward has made eight appearances for Santos and scored three goals since returning to the club from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.

Neymar, Brazil’s record scorer, has not played for the national side since October 2023 – when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament.

The forward was named in Brazil’s squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Colombia but was forced to withdraw following injury.

Neymar was due to make his Selecao return after a 17-month absence because of a knee injury which he sustained against Uruguay in October 2023.

But the 33-year-old has now had a further setback, ruling him out of the qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina.

“The return seemed so close, but unfortunately I won’t be able to wear the most important jersey in the world for the moment,” he wrote on Instagram.

“We had long conversations and everyone knows of my desire to return, but we agreed that it’s best not to take any risks and prepare as best as possible to completely eradicate the injury.”

Following a difficult spell at Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal, Neymar moved back to boyhood club Santos in January and has scored three goals and provided three assists in seven appearances in the Brazilian top flight.

Only Cafu (142) has more caps for Brazil than Neymar (128) – who is his country’s record scorer with 79 goals, two more than Pele.

Brazil head coach Dorival Jr has also called up Lyon goalkeeper Lucas Perri for Manchester City’s Ederson and Flamengo defender Alex Sandro to replace team-mate Danilo.

Endrick, 18, has made 28 appearances for Real Madrid across all competitions this season, scoring six goals.

He has made 13 senior appearances for Brazil and scored three goals.

The 33-year-old returned to the Brazilian club on 31 January from Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal, 12 years after he left to join Barcelona in 2013.

Taking to the field at half-time when Santos held a 1-0 lead, Neymar impressed in the second half in his return from injury as Botafogo fought back to earn a 1-1 draw at the Estadio Vila Belmiro.

“I love Santos,” said Neymar.

“I have no words to describe what I felt tonight when I stepped again on this pitch.

“I need minutes, games. I’m not at 100%. I didn’t expect to run and dribble so much tonight. I think I’ll feel better in four or five games.”

A number of Botafogo players and members of the club’s backroom staff sought out Neymar on the pitch after the final whistle to request photos with the former Brazil captain.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Neymar has 128 caps for Brazil

Neymar won six trophies during his first stint with Santos, including the 2011 Copa Libertadores.

He left the club having scored 136 goals in 225 appearances by the age of 21.

During his time away, Neymar became the most expensive player of all time when he left Barcelona to join Paris St-Germain in a £200m deal in 2017.

But a move to Saudi Arabia in 2022 turned sour when Neymar tore his anterior cruciate ligament, which limited him to just seven appearances for Al-Hilal.

Santos, the former club of Brazil legend Pele, were relegated from the top division for the first time in their 111-year history in 2023.

They earned promotion back to the top flight at the first time of asking last season by winning Serie B.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Neymar came through Santos’ academy

One of Brazil’s greatest footballing exports, and still the world’s most expensive player, has signed a six-month contract that brings him back to Vila Belmiro.

The 32-year-old’s homecoming follows the termination of his contract with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal on 27 January, closing the chapter on an injury-plagued and ultimately unfulfilling stint in the Middle East.

“He was desperate to come back to Santos,” said BBC Sport’s Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.

Santos were eager to bring Neymar back too. They reportedly used an AI-generated voice of club legend Pele, external in a video to persuade him to re-sign.

But what will Neymar really bring to Santos?

As Balague said: “Everyone knows where he is now with his relationship to football.”

The relationship has evolved throughout his career, earning Neymar a reputation as ‘the prince who never became king’.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Neymar is Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goals in 128 appearances

‘The prince who never became king’

Search for that nickname on TikTok or YouTube and you will find a flood of compilations with videos of Neymar’s best moments.

These are not just highlight reels of goals – there are montages of dazzling dribbles, rainbow flicks, and nutmegs.

A celebration of ‘Joga Bonito’, the Brazilian ethos of ‘playing [football] beautifully’, Neymar’s game encapsulated the spirit of football as art.

Add to that the many hairstyles and the nose tape, his whole aesthetic has enhanced a football culture and lineage that some felt might break when his Brazil counterpart Ronaldinho faded from view.

By the time Neymar left Santos in 2013 for Barcelona, the then 21-year-old had scored 136 goals in 225 appearances, won the 2011 Puskas Award for a breathtaking goal against Flamengo and finished in the top 10 of the Ballon d’Or award in the same year.

Upon his move to Spain, Neymar was perceived by many as the heir apparent, the one who could finally step out of the shadows cast by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Neymar is still one of the most expensive departures in Santos history

“He’s a lovely person – childlike in many ways – but surrounded by good people, and he loved Barcelona,” Balague said.

Under the bright lights of the Nou Camp, Neymar shone in what many consider one of the greatest forward lines in football history.

In a front three with Messi and Luis Suarez, he helped to deliver two La Liga titles, three Copa del Reys, and a Champions League trophy.

Operating from the left, Neymar occupied a role that allowed his brilliance and flair to flourish.

“He had to play in that position because of Suarez and Messi,” Balague explained.

“At the time, he didn’t realise that being just a left winger would bring out his best.”

In the 2015-16 season, the so-called MSN trio combined for 131 goals and 65 assists, dismantling defences with pace, precision, and audacity.

Neymar was delivering on the biggest stage, but the dream of dethroning his now team-mate Messi to become the world’s best player was looking like just that, a dream. Messi was the untouchable star of the show, with everyone else in a supporting role, even Neymar.

Balague reflected: “The day he realised he had to leave Barcelona was their incredible Champions League comeback victory against Paris St-Germain which finished 6-1 in March 2017.

“He scored two goals and got an assist for the sixth goal, he was the best player on the pitch, but the main photo after was of Messi. He realised he would not be able to be the number one at Barcelona.”

That summer, Neymar swapped his life in Spain for the capital of France.

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: The picture of Messi was nominated for picture of the year on the club’s Instagram [@fcbarcelona]

PSG paid a world-record €222m (£200m) fee that remains unsurpassed to this day.

In Paris, Neymar often operated with more freedom, shifting into a central role where he orchestrated attacks and created from deeper positions.

More freedom on the pitch was coupled with more commercial obligations off it.

“His love for the game was taken from him in Paris, he became an industry,” Balague said.

“In fact, when he was at PSG, his contract said he could dedicate days to training and others to commercial opportunities.

“After that his head started going in different directions. He would play the PlayStation until three in the morning and wouldn’t be able to train properly, but on a matchday he would come out with something genius.”

Neymar’s time in Paris delivered multiple domestic titles, but it lacked the defining European triumph PSG wanted.

The closest they came was the 2020 Champions League final, with a 1-0 loss to Bayern Munich in which the Brazilian played the full 90 minutes.

Although Neymar’s individual brilliance flashed at times, injuries and off-field distractions defined much of his time in Paris.

Tensions grew, too, as the arrival of Kylian Mbappe and previous team-mate Lionel Messi complicated Neymar’s role in the team.

Speaking on a podcast with Brazil legend Romario, Neymar said: “I have my things with Kylian Mbappe. We fought a little, but he was fundamental for us. I always helped him, talked to him, but when Messi came, he got a little jealous.”

Injuries compounded Neymar’s frustrations, with his last game coming during the 2022-23 season before ankle surgery ruled him out for the rest of the campaign.

The Saudi switch

Image source: Getty Images

Image caption: Neymar scored one goal and had two assists for Al-Hilal

In August 2023, at the age of 31, Neymar joined Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia on a reported €150m (£129m) annual deal.

That amounted to about six times the salary he had been paid in France.

But misfortune followed Neymar to Saudi, with a serious knee injury while playing for Brazil sidelining him for much of his stint in the emerging league.

He played just seven games for the Saudi club.

“His objective was to stay with Al-Hilal for another six months and play in the Club World Cup this summer,” said South American football expert Tim Vickery on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“That was supposed to be a huge billboard to the football world that said: ‘I’m back baby.'”

He’s back all right – but back in Brazil. Neymar has returned to a Santos who have just been promoted back to Brazil’s top league.

Should he stay fit, Neymar’s presence could prove invaluable not only for Santos but also for Brazil’s national team – who he last represented in October 2023, when the ACL in his left knee ruptured against Uruguay.

Despite overtaking Pele to become Brazil’s record scorer, Neymar might have had an even better international career but for injuries.

He sat out the semi-final of the 2014 World Cup in Belo Horizonte, Brazil’s successful 2019 Copa America campaign and two out of five games in the 2022 World Cup.

As young stars like Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo continue to blossom, Brazil could be among the favourites for the 2026 World Cup. But Neymar’s experience and flair would still offer something unique if he can stay healthy.

One last hurrah?

Neymar is an inspiration to this generation’s hottest young stars, with Barcelona’s teenage winger Lamine Yamal having posed in a Santos shirt bearing the superstar’s name.

“He is loved by players and is Yamal’s hero because he did things no other players could,” said Balague.

The ‘prince’ may not have quite claimed the throne, but his influence on football culture persists.

And perhaps there is one last defining chapter of the Neymar story still to be told.

Here we have a footballer, not yet a veteran, with the talent to take himself, his club and his country to the very top – a regal talent still targeting a coronation moment.

After Messi’s World Cup crowning in Qatar, don’t count out Neymar in the United States just yet.

The 32-year-old Brazil international joined for 90m euros (£77.6m) in August 2023 but has only played seven times for the club after injuries.

Still the world’s most expensive footballer after his £200m move to Paris St-Germain in 2017, he has only made two appearances this season – most recently a substitute appearance in November.

He has been heavily linked with a return to former club Santos in Brazil.

“The club expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided throughout his career at Al-Hilal, and wish the player success in his career,” Al-Hilal said.

Neymar had around seven months remaining on his contract, having joined Al-Hilal on a two-year deal with a reported wage of 150m euros (£129.2m) a year.

He joined claiming he wanted to “write new sporting history” but had a prolonged spell on the sidelines after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023.

He returned in October last year and although he played down an apparent hamstring issue in his second match back, he has not featured since.

Neymar came through the youth system at Santos, where he scored 136 goals in 225 games, before a high-profile move to Barcelona in 2013.

He made 186 appearances across four seasons in Spain, winning two La Liga titles, the Champions League and the Club World Cup before his world-record move to PSG as a 25-year-old.

In Paris he won five league titles prior to his move to Saudi Arabia.

Shortly after the move he overtook Pele to become Brazil’s all-time leading male goalscorer with 78 goals, but has not played for his country since his initial knee injury in 2023.

Messi’s move to Paris on a free transfer in August 2021 completed a sparkling frontline with Mbappe and Neymar, but the much-celebrated trio struggled to gel together.

Neymar, now on the books with Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal, described in an interview with Brazil great Romario how the dynamic changed in the dressing room following Messi’s arrival from Barcelona.

When asked by Romario if Mbappe is “annoying,” Neymar said: “No, he is not. I have my things with him, we had a little fight, but he was fundamental for us when he arrived.

“I used to call him golden boy. I always played with him; I said he was going to be one of the best. I always helped, talked to him, he came to my place, we had dinner together.

“We had some good years of partnership, but after Messi came he was a little jealous.

“He didn’t want to split me with anyone. And then there were some fights, a change in behaviour.”

Assembling one of the most expensive and talented forward lines ever seen did not lead to the desired success for PSG, who failed to claim their maiden UEFA Champions League title.

Mbappe departed PSG last summer to complete a long-touted move to Real Madrid, while Messi is now in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami.

“It is good to have egos, but you have to know that you don’t play alone,” Neymar said.

“There needs to be another guy by your side. [Big] egos were almost everywhere, it can’t work. If nobody runs and nobody helps, it is impossible to win anything.”

Neymar, 32, has only featured twice for Al Hilal in an injury-plagued 2024/25 season.

The Brazilian’s contract expires at the end of the season and he has been linked with a return to Brazil, which he did not rule out, and a move to MLS, with Chicago Fire among the clubs linked.

Neymar won five Ligue 1 titles, three Coupe de France and two Coupe de la Ligue during a six-year spell in Paris, but a runners-up finish in 2019/20 was as close as he got to Champions League glory with the French side.

He joined Al Hilal in the summer of 2023, but an ACL injury in October that year ended his season and he is yet to return to full fitness, having suffered further injuries since recovering.

The 32-year-old is out of contract with Al-Hilal in the summer after two years in the Saudi Pro League.

The Eastern Conference side would be able to make the deal work financially and negotiations are continuing with the Pro League and Neymar’s representatives, but sources have told BBC Sport the transfer is not close to being done and remains complicated.

Neymar will not be registered for the second half of the Saudi season and it is now up to the player to make a decision on where he wants to play.

The MLS transfer window opens from 31 January until 23 April.

Fire had Neymar on their Discovery List. MLS clubs can have up to five players on their list, meaning no other side in the league can speak to, or sign, Neymar unless Chicago agree.

Neymar joined Al-Hilal from Paris St-Germain in 2023 for a league-record £77million but he has made just seven appearances, scoring one goal.

The former Barcelona striker tore his cruciate knee ligament in October 2023, which kept him out for a year.

Former Barcelona team-mates Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are in the MLS with Inter Miami, who won the Eastern Conference last season, with Fire bottom.

Al-Hilal are top of the Pro League, ahead of Al-Ittihad on goal difference, after beating Al-Fateh 9-0 on Thursday.

Aleksandar Mitrovic, Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo all currently play for the leaders.

The 32-year-old Brazil striker was substituted 86 minutes into the Saudi Arabian club’s 3-0 win against Iranian side Esteghlal in the Asian Champions League Elite on Monday.

“It felt like a cramp, only very strong. I’m going to have some tests and I hope it’s nothing too serious,” the Brazilian said on Instagram.

“It’s normal for this to happen after a year. The doctors had already warned me, so I have to be careful and play more minutes.”

Neymar had a prolonged spell on the sidelines after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament during Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023.

He has played only seven matches for Al-Hilal since his move from Paris St-Germain in August 2023.

The 32-year-old came on in the 77th minute of his side’s 5-4 win over UAE Pro League side Al-Ain in the Asian Champions League.

Neymar sustained the injury on 17 October 2023 while playing for Brazil in their 2026 World Cup qualifier with Uruguay.

The forward, who is Brazil’s male all-time top goalscorer, underwent surgery the following month.

The substitute came close to marking his return with a goal following an Al-Hilal counter-attack, but it was Al-Ain who recovered possession to pull a goal back late on.

Neymar moved to Saudi Arabia from Paris St-Germain for a fee understood to be worth about 90m euros (£77.6m) plus add-ons in August 2023.

He was sidelined for multiple months during his last two seasons with PSG because of ankle injuries.

He made five appearances for Al-Hilal before rupturing his ACL.

The 31-year-old ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in his left knee while playing for Brazil in a 2026 World Cup qualifier last month.

Recovery from an ACL rupture or tear can be eight to 10 months.

Rodrigo Lasmar, Brazil’s team doctor, said Neymar is fully committed to regaining full fitness.

“He has demonstrated, from the first moment, that he is following what we are proposing,” Lasmar told a news conference in Sao Paulo on Monday.

Neymar was taken off on a stretcher in tears during Brazil’s 2-0 defeat by Uruguay after landing awkwardly following a challenge in the first half.

He moved to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in the summer from Paris St-Germain for 90m euros (£77.6m) plus add-ons but has only played five games because of muscle injuries.

The 31-year-old was taken off on a stretcher in tears during the 2-0 defeat by Uruguay on Tuesday.

He landed awkwardly after a challenge in the first half of the 2026 World Cup qualifier in Montevideo.

“It’s a very sad time, the worst,” Neymar wrote on Instagram. 

“I know I’m strong, but this time I’m going to need my family and friends even more.”

It is unclear how long Neymar will be out for but the usual prognosis for recovery from an ACL rupture or tear can be up to eight to 10 months.

“Brazilian and world football need Neymar healthy and recovered because football is happier when he’s on the pitch,” Brazilian Football Confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues said in a statement.

Brazil’s all-time male top scorer, who moved to Saudi Arabia in the summer from Paris St-Germain, has struggled with injuries in recent years.

He missed two World Cup games in Qatar last year after he was injured in Brazil’s opener against Serbia.

Neymar had also been sidelined for multiple months of his last two seasons with PSG because of different ankle injuries and his final campaign in France was cut short in February by ankle surgery.

“It’s not easy to go through injury and surgery, imagine going through it all again after four months of recovery,” he added.

At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, the then 22-year-old broke a bone in his back following a bad challenge by Juan Zuniga in the quarter-final against Colombia.

Brazil won that match but Neymar was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament, with his country going on to lose 7-1 to Germany in the semi-finals.

Neymar Jr. went down clutching his leg after awkwardly planting his foot while contesting a ball right before halftime.

The Al-Hilal SFC player could be seen in tears as he left the field towards the locker room.

The possible extent and the specific area of his injury are still unknown.

The player arrived in Saudi Arabia injured and he had just returned to the field a few weeks ago. This was his first Brazil call-up since the spring.

This new injury sets off all the alarm bells in the Canarinha as his injury record does not invite optimism that the player will be able to see the field again any time soon.

At the time of Neymar’s injury Brazil was losing against Uruguay 1-0 at the half.

The forward, 31, who went into the World Cup qualifying match tied with legend Pele on 77 goals, missed a penalty before scoring twice in the second half on his 125th appearance.

“I never imagined reaching this record. I’m no better than Pele or any other player for the national team,” he said.

Marta has scored a record 122 goals in 189 matches for Brazil’s women’s team.

Pele, who died in December aged 82, scored 77 goals in 92 appearances between 1957 and 1971. He was widely regarded to be one of the greatest footballers to ever play the game.

His official account on social media platform X paid tribute to Neymar’s achievement.

“Congratulations Neymar for surpassing the King in goals for Brazil. Surely Pele is applauding you today!” it said.

Brazil coach Fernando Diniz said: “He came to do what he did: have fun, score two goals and break the record.”

Neymar became the world’s most expensive player when he joined Paris St-Germain from Barcelona for £200m in 2017.

He left the French side in the summer to join Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal.

“He is a very big idol, people must recognise him and accept him,” Diniz added.

Elsewhere, Uruguay started their South American qualifying campaign with a 3-1 win against Chile under their new coach, former Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa.

The 31-year-old forward moved to the Saudi Pro League from Paris St-Germain in August for about £77.5m and add-ons.

Neymar joined Al-Hilal in a transfer window that saw Saudi clubs spend more than £700m on overseas players.

“For the names that went to Saudi Arabia, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Saudi league is better than the French,” he said.

Saudi clubs’ spending this summer on international transfers was second only to the Premier League, whose teams spent just under £1.6bn on overseas deals, according to figures from football governing body Fifa.

While Al-Ittihad were unable to prise Mohamed Salah away from Liverpool, Salah’s former team-mates Jordan Henderson, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho were among the Premier League players to move to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi clubs also lured Neymar’s PSG club-mate Georginio Wijnaldum, Real Madrid’s Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema and Bayern Munich’s Sadio Mane.

Others to make the switch to the Saudi Pro League have included Inter Milan’s Champions League final captain Marcelo Brozovic, Barcelona’s Franck Kessie, Celtic’s Jota and Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

There could have been a new world-record transfer too. PSG gave Al-Hilal permission to talk to Kylian Mbappe after making a £259m bid, but the forward opted to stay with the French champions and Neymar was sold instead.

Neymar helped PSG win five Ligue 1 titles although his time in Paris was hampered by ankle injuries after moving from Barcelona for a record fee of £200m in 2017.

Speaking at a news conference while on Brazilian international duty, Neymar said: “I can assure you the football in Saudi Arabia is the same. The ball is round, we have goalposts.

“There’s no secret. We have intense practice there, the thirst to win is still big.

“I want to win trophies with Al-Hilal. It doesn’t change much.”

Several Premier League managers have criticised the Saudi deadline closing almost a week after Europe’s major leagues.

Last week, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said the Saudi Pro League feels more like a threat than not. Klopp feels there is a need to “protect the game and make sure European leagues stay as strong as they are”.

Meanwhile, Henderson, who has been a vocal ally of the LGBTQ+ community, said he was “really hurt” by criticism of his transfer.

His move has been questioned by some LGBTQ+ campaigners, as same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Saudi Arabia.

Despite its impressive history, for many supporters, 19 August 2023 marked the beginning of a new era for the club when Neymar Junior was unveiled in front of more than 65,000 ecstatic fans.

A volley of fireworks, followed by a drone show projecting Neymar’s face, lit up Riyadh’s sky as the Brazilian forward walked onto the pitch wearing the club’s traditional dark blue kit.

“It is a very special day for us. Neymar is a megastar. He will bring in a lot of fans to Al Hilal. I think the whole of Brazil will support us now. The club will be known everywhere,” Al Hilal fan Abdullah Almutawa told the BBC, who came to witness the ceremony.

The ambitious project to make Saudi Arabia an international football hub started with the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr in January on a two-and-a-half-year deal said to be worth over $400m (£318m or 370m euros) in wages.

This opened the floodgates for a jaw-dropping summer transfer window with the Saudi league snapping up some of the biggest names in the sport. Karim Benzema was the next big signing in June when he moved to Jeddah-based Al Ittihad from Real Madrid.

Since then, a host of prominent names including Sadio Mane, Riyad Mahrez, Jordan Henderson, and N’Golo Kante, have swapped European leagues for the Saudi Pro League.

During the summer, the Saudi Pro League spent more than $900m on transfer fees to acquire foreign players, making it the second-highest spender after the English Premier League. The figure does not include the eye-watering salaries offered to lure players primarily from top European leagues.

And this is not a one-off splash, according to the league’s chief operating officer, Carlo Nohra. The Saudi Arabian government has given a commitment to financially back the league until it achieves its goal of becoming one of the top leagues in the world in terms of revenues and quality.

The Saudi Pro League aims to compete with the likes of the English Premier League, and La Liga.

Mr Nohra says they will continue spending big to attract foreign players until the league achieves its objective, but it is also simultaneously working towards unlocking the commercial value that’s on offer.

“While we have the commitment of getting support until however long it takes to achieve our goals, it is important for us to make ourselves commercially viable so that we are responsible for our own financial growth and not completely dependent on government capital,” Mr Nohra told the BBC.

Soft power

The world’s biggest oil exporter has invested billions of dollars in sports, including revamping the Saudi Pro League, Formula One and the lucrative LIV Golf.

Some critics have described it as “sportswashing” to distract people from its poor human rights record.

Saudi Arabia has attracted some of the biggest football stars in the world

But some experts believe that managing image and reputation is not the only reason behind Saudi Arabia’s strategy. According to Simon Chadwick, professor of Sport and Geopolitical Economy at Skema Business School in Paris, “nations across the world used sports and entertainment as a policy tool to project soft power”.

“It’s one element of a policy armoury that Saudi Arabia is currently deploying. We are talking about a contest between nations to win the hearts and minds of people globally. Britain, the United States, France, India and so many other countries have implemented this policy. Now the Saudis are doing the same,” adds Prof Chadwick

The second key objective behind Saudi Arabia’s spending spree is that it is part of a broader push to reinvent its economy before oil revenues start dwindling. Currently, they make up for more than 40% of the Saudi gross domestic product, or GDP.

Sports is one of the main pillars of the government’s Vision 2030 project driven by the kingdom’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The economic diversification programme is focused on reducing the country’s reliance on fossil fuel revenues by building new industries and generating jobs.

“One of the objectives is to deliver entertainment for the Saudi population as part of Vision 2030 and at the same time, also develop local talent that would enhance the level of the Saudi Pro League in the long run,” says Mr Nohra.

Saudi Arabia is a football-loving nation with 80% of the population either playing, watching, or following the sport. It is still early to judge whether these bold investments will pay off, but the strategy has demonstrated the Gulf nation’s strong desire to become a football powerhouse.

The Brazilian, who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain in France, is expected to sign a two-year contract with the Saudi club and become the latest big name in football to move to the Gulf nation.

He underwent his medical on Monday as he edges close to completing a £73million move that Mail Sport understands will earn him £ 130m per year.

But, according to French outlet FootMercato, included in that eye-watering sum is a £70,000 bonus for every win the Riyadh-based team collects, as well as £430,000 for every post or story he puts on social media that promotes Saudi Arabia.

Neymar currently boasts 62.5m followers on social media platform X and 212m followers on Instagram.

The remarkable contract also includes a private plane for him to jet around the globe on, as well as a lavish house for himself and his pregnant girlfriend Bruna Biancardi that is accompanied with a raft of housekeepers and support staff.

As Mail Sport reported on Monday, Saudi insiders say a stadium presentation to an adoring public will be the most likely unveiling for Neymar after the 31-year-old arrives.

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The deal for the former Barcelona player is understood to be worth about 90m euros (£77.6m) plus add-ons.

Neymar, who joined PSG for a world-record fee of £200m in 2017, was left out of their squad for Saturday’s Ligue 1 draw against Lorient.

The 31-year-old was not part of coach Luis Enrique’s plans for the new season.

His exit also fits PSG’s strategy of moving away from the ‘Galacticos’ era of signing high-profile players for big fees and significant wages, with Lionel Messi also leaving the club earlier this summer.

“I am here in Saudi Arabia, I am Hilali,” Neymar said in a video posted to the club’s social media accounts.

The forward was understood to be earning an annual income in the region of 25m euros (£21.6m) at the French side.

He will reportedly be paid 150m euros (£129.2m) a year in Saudi Arabia – six times the amount he earned at PSG.

The Brazilian made 173 appearances for PSG, helping the club win 13 trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles, as well as reaching the 2020 Champions League final.

“It is always difficult to say goodbye to an amazing player like Neymar, one of the best players in the world, said Nasser Al-Khelaifi, PSG’s president and chief executive.

“I will never forget the day he arrived at Paris St-Germain, and what he has contributed to our club and our project over the last six years.”

Neymar’s time in the French capital has also been hampered by a number of ankle injuries.

He had surgery in March that caused him to miss the rest of the season and he only resumed training in July.

The forward missed two of Brazil’s matches at the 2022 World Cup after being injured in their opening group match.

He also missed the 2019 Copa America after suffering torn ligaments in his right ankle and was out for several weeks in 2021 with a similar injury.

Neymar’s departure comes two days after PSG’s Kylian Mbappe was reintegrated back into first-team training after positive talks with the club.

The France forward, 24, had been in a contract stand-off amid a desire to join Real Madrid but could now extend his contract at PSG, with his current deal due to expire next summer.

Mbappe was also left out of the squad for the Lorient game and watched the match from the stands.

Last month, PSG gave Al-Hilal permission to talk to Mbappe after the Saudi side made a world-record £259m bid.

Neymar continues a remarkable summer spending spree by Saudi clubs, underlining the league’s ambition to be one of the top competitions in the world in the next few years.

Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Jordan Henderson, Ruben Neves, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have all moved to Saudi Arabia.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr from Manchester United in January.

Neymar’s new team-mates include ex-Wolves captain Ruben Neves, former Chelsea centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, formerly of Lazio, who were all signed for big fees.

After Riyad Mahez left Manchester City to join Al-Ahli in July, Pep Guardiola said the Saudi league’s financial muscle has “changed the market”.

“A few months ago when Cristiano [Ronaldo] was the only one to go, no-one thought this many top, top players would play in the Saudi league,” the City manager said.

“In the future there will be more and that’s why clubs need to be aware of what is happening.

“I don’t know how long they will sustain it, but the feeling is that they will stay. The players want to take this experience to play in that league and they are able to do it.”

The transfer is subject to the 31-year-old completing a medical and all necessary paperwork.

Neymar, who joined PSG for a world record fee of 222m euros in 2017, missed the Ligue 1 opener on Saturday.

He has not been made part of coach Luis Enrique’s plans for the new season.

It also fits PSG’s strategy of moving away from the ‘Galacticos’ era of signing high-profile players for big fees and significant wages.

Neymar was understood to be earning in the region of 25m euros (£21.6m) annually at the French side.

He has made 173 appearances for PSG, helping the club win 13 trophies, including five Ligue 1 titles, as well as reaching the 2020 Champions League final.

However, his time in the French capital has also been hampered by a number of ankle injuries.

The former Barcelona player had surgery in March that caused him to miss the rest of the season and he only resumed training in July.

He missed two of Brazil’s matches at the 2022 World Cup after being injured in their opening group match.

The forward also missed the 2019 Copa America after suffering torn ligaments in his right ankle and was out for several weeks in 2021 with a similar injury.

News of the Neymar deal comes just 24 hours after PSG’s Kylian Mbappe was reintegrated back into first-team training after positive talks with the club.

The France forward, 24, had been in a contract stand-off amid a desire to join Real Madrid but could now extend his contract at PSG, with his current deal due to expire next summer.

Last month, PSG gave Al-Hilal permission to talk to Mbappe after the Saudi side made a world-record £259m bid.

If completed, the transfer will continue a remarkable summer spending spree by Saudi clubs, underlining the league’s ambition to be one of the top competitions in the world in the next few years.

The likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Jordan Henderson, Ruben Neves, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino have all moved to Saudi Arabia.

Portugal superstar Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al-Nassr from Manchester United in January.

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Ideally, he would like to return to Barcelona but it is difficult to see how they can afford him because of their financial problems.

He has three years left to run on his £25m-a-year contract. There remains a question over whether he is jumping or being pushed.

At 31, he is not thought to be a key player for new head coach Luis Enrique as he builds a new side. PSG have been open to selling him in order to focus on building a younger, hungrier team.

There were discussions with Chelsea in January. It has been a turbulent summer in Paris with Lionel Messi leaving and the high-profile standoff with Kylian Mbappe.

The club did not comment on the matter when approached by Sky Sports News, but it is understood that the Brazil superstar, who is under contract until 2025, has yet to formally communicate his intention to leave to the club’s executives.

The club are resigned to either selling France striker Mbappe this summer or losing him for nothing next summer, when he will be out of contract.

Messi left the club earlier this summer to join Inter Miami and, if Neymar and Mbappe follow him out of PSG, it will well and truly mark the end of an era.

The club are trying to shake off what their president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has previously described as their “bling bling” image of the past and work to develop more players organically rather than bring in top-of-the-range superstars.

Neymar was arguably the epitome of the old approach, with PSG smashing the world transfer record to sign him from Barcelona in 2017 for 222 million euros (£200m at the time).

He has won France’s Ligue 1 title five times since joining PSG but has failed to add to the single Champions League crown he won with Barca in 2015.

Mbappe, meanwhile, has been left out of PSG’s main training group as the standoff over his contract continues.

PSG sources are convinced he has already reached an agreement to officially sign for Real Madrid when his contract expires and benefit from a 160m euro signing-on fee as a free agent.

PSG are understood to have even offered Mbappe a new contract with a “guaranteed sale” clause in it confirming he can leave for a fee next summer, but sources say his representatives have refused to engage on that, or any other, offer they have made.

PSG gave Al Hilal permission to speak to Mbappe after the Saudi club tabled a world record £259million offer last month. However, it was reported Mbappe and his representatives declined to even meet a delegation from the club when they visited Paris.

Chelsea and Barcelona are also understood to be trying to put together player-plus-cash deals to bring in Mbappe, who won the World Cup with France in 2018 and also starred at last year’s finals in Qatar.

The Ligue 1 side have lost three of their last six league games and are out of the Champions League.

Supporters gathered outside Neymar’s Paris home on Wednesday and chanted for him to leave the club.

“Paris St-Germain condemns in the strongest possible terms the unacceptable and insulting actions,” the club said in a statement,

“Whatever the differences of opinion, nothing justifies such behaviour,” it added.

Argentine Messi, 35, is to leave PSG when his contract runs out in the summer, while Neymar, 31, is out injured.

The Brazil international was ruled out for the rest of the season in March because of an ankle injury.

Messi was suspended by PSG for two weeks on Tuesday after travelling to Saudi Arabia without the club’s permission.

It followed PSG’s home defeat by Lorient which reduced their lead at the top of Ligue 1 to five points with five games remaining.

Several hundred PSG fans gathered outside the club’s headquarters on Wednesday and set off smoke flares and chanted about Messi, Neymar and Italy midfielder Marco Verratti. Some then went to Neymar’s home.

The actions of the fans have prompted the club to increase security at the homes of Messi, Neymar, Verratti and manager Christophe Galtier, as well as at the club’s training ground.

The club refused to comment when asked about security measures by BBC Sport.

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The baby will be Ney‘s second, after 11-year-old Davi Lucca.

The couple are celebrating their rekindled romance with a new bundle of joy. They have not revealed if it will be a boy or a girl.

Biancardi and Neymar began dating in 2021, making their relationship status official in January of 2022. Later in the year (August of 2022), however, they broke up shortly after announcing their engagement.

At that time, the model confirmed the split, while dismissing infidelity rumors: “I’ve always been myself and you guys know this, but because you keep asking, I’d like to make it clear that I am not in a relationship and there was no infidelity. […] I care deeply for him (Neymar) and his family! Please refrain from mentioning my name. Thank you very much!”

In early 2023, the pair began dating again, and have now taken the next step in their relationship: having a baby.

In their announcement post, Neymar and Biancardi wrote: “We’ve dreamt of your life, we’re planning your arrival and know that you are here to complete our love, and make our days much happier”.

The influencer, who boasts 3.6 million followers on IG capped off the post by adding: “You’re going to join a beautiful family, with my sister, grandmothers, uncles and aunts who already love you very much! See you soon son/daughter, we can’t wait!”

The injured Paris Saint-Germain star is a keen poker player and is often entering tournaments both in person and online. He’s usually pretty handy too.

However, that wasn’t quite the case on Thursday evening.

According to Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte, Neymar lost € 1million [around £880,000].

That sum of money is merely a fantasy for many of us. We couldn’t imagine having that much money at our disposal.

So imagine what it would feel like to lose that much money in the space of an hour.

That’s what happened to Neymar as he live streamed his casino session on Twitch.

It meant we could witness what losing €1million actually looks like.

For Neymar, he proceeded to fake cry and then scream. A mock Titanic theme then started to play before Neymar said “Oh f**k” before he let out a laugh.

A friend could be heard saying he went “from a million to zero in 60 minutes”, before Neymar joked: “I’m going to put this on YouTube.”

The Brazilian clearly wasn’t too upset at just losing €1million.

Of course, that sort of money is merely a drop in the ocean for Neymar.

Earlier this week, French outlet L’Equipe released the top wages for players in Ligue 1.

Unsurprisingly, Neymar was right up there.

The 31-year-old reportedly takes home €3,675,000 every month in wages at PSG. That’s before you consider all of his sponsorships and endorsements.

Will Neymar stay at PSG?

Neymar is currently injured for the rest of the season and there is an element of uncertainty surrounding his future at the Parc des Princes.

However, according to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, Neymar wants to finish his career in France.

Ornstein writes: “Neymar is often linked with a return to Barcelona and moves elsewhere, but he has stayed at PSG and that looks set to remain the case — because the 31-year-old wants to finish his career there.

“Neymar’s wish is to finish his playing days with PSG and help them achieve further success, particularly in the one tournament they are yet to conquer.”

No wonder Neymar wants to stay in Paris and continue earning ridiculous money – because he needs that sort of wage to fund his poker habit!

The Brazil forward was carried off with an injured right ankle during PSG’s 4-3 home win over Lille on 19 February.

PSG say the 31-year-old has suffered several “instances of instability in his right ankle” over recent years and surgery is needed to “avoid a major risk of recurrence”.

They added it will be three to four months before he can resume training.

Neymar has suffered a number of injury problems with his right foot over the past few years.

He missed two of Brazil’s matches at the 2022 World Cup after being injured in their opening group match against Serbia.

The former Barcelona player also missed the 2019 Copa America after suffering torn ligaments in his right ankle and was out for several weeks in 2021 with a similar injury.

He has scored 13 Ligue 1 goals and contributed another 10 assists for PSG this season.

Christophe Galtier’s side are eight points clear at the top of the table as they seek an 11th French top-flight title.

They take on German side Bayern Munich in the Champions League round of 16 second leg on Wednesday looking to overturn a 1-0 deficit from the first fixture.

Their final league match of the season is against Clermont on 3 June with the Champions League final scheduled to take place on 10 June.

PSG had been 2-0 ahead and 3-2 behind after goals from Lille’s Bafode Diakite, Jonathan David and Jonathan Bamba transformed the match.

Kylian Mbappe, who opened the scoring, grabbed his second in the 87th minute to give PSG hope of victory.

Messi then won it in dramatic fashion with a 22-yard free-kick.

Despite the win, PSG’s main concern will be for Brazil forward Neymar after the 31-year-old, a goalscorer in the first half, was kicked on his calf and then went over badly on his right ankle five minutes into the second half.

He looked in great pain with his hands over his face as he was carried off at the Parc des Princes.

PSG end three-game losing run in dramatic style

The result means PSG are eight points clear at the top of Ligue 1, although second-placed Marseille will cut the gap to five if they win at mid-table Toulouse later on Sunday (19:45 GMT).

PSG came into this match on a three-game losing run following a 2-1 loss to Marseille in the last 16 of the French Cup, a 3-1 Ligue 1 defeat by Monaco and a 1-0 home loss to Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.

But they looked in complete control against Lille and were 2-0 ahead after only 17 minutes.

Mbappe showed great skill to jink past Tiago Djalo and Diakite to score the first goal, before Neymar doubled the advantage, scoring from a rebound after Vitinha’s effort bounced off goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier.

But Lille, beaten 7-1 at home by PSG in August, pulled one back through Diakite’s 24th-minute glancing header.

PSG had already lost left-back Nuno Mendes to injury before Neymar was carried off.

David’s penalty, following a foul by Marco Verratti, made it 2-2 and Bamba’s powerful strike put the visitors ahead in the 69th minute.

However, Lille could not hang on. Mbappe hit a low shot into the corner with three minutes of normal time to go for his 15th Ligue 1 goal of the season, before Messi’s late winner provided the final piece of drama in this seven-goal thriller.

PSG are next in action on 26 February, when they play title rivals Marseille away from home.

Boehly reportedly flew into the French capital on Tuesday ahead of PSG’s Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, which the home side lost by a single goal. The Parisians were outplayed for the majority of the tie at the Parc des Princes stadium as Kingsley Coman’s strike early in the second half settled the first leg of the Round of 16 tie.

Neymar endured another frustrating evening as he was largely anonymous throughout the encounter as PSG failed to get a foothold in the game. The Brazilian was among the delegation of PSG stars to lead an apology to the club’s ultras after the match ended.

Neymar is the most expensive footballer of all time after PSG signed the superstar from Barcelona in a stunning £200 million move in 2017. The 31-year-old has netted 117 goals in 172 appearances for the French club but there has been a lingering sense that he has failed to hit the huge expectations that many predicted and Le Parisien now report Chelsea owner Boehly has asked Al-Khelaifi about his availability.

The future of Neymar at the club has come under increasing scrutiny this season amid his ongoing feud with star attacking partner Kylian Mbappe. The French ace is believed to be keen on the club to cash-in on the Brazilian.

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PSG boss Christophe Galtier moved to tackle the issue head-on by staging a first-team meeting in which the two were rebuked and apologised, while Lionel Messi acted as a ‘mediator’ to help quell the ongoing discontent between the pair.

Boehly oversaw a notable summer transfer spend with multiple big-money arrivals including Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly, Wesley Fofana, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Carney Chukwuemeka and Marc Cucurella. Yet that spending was matched once again in a remarkable January splurge.

The Blues signed Mykhaylo Mudryk, who arrived in a deal worth up to £87m while they also completed the signing of PSV forward Noni Madueke alongside bringing Joao Felix in on a loan deal for the remainder of the campaign.

They were joined by defender Benoit Badiashile arriving from Monaco, a deal being concluded to sign right-back Malo Gusto from Lyon, the signings of midfielder Andrey Santos and striker David Datro Fofana and then, on transfer deadline, the British club-record signing of Enzo Fernandez.

Boehly has spent just shy of £550 million in transfer fees since taking charge at Stamford Bridge as his squad has been transformed. However, they are still light on central attacking players – with Felix set to leave when his loan expires at the end of the campaign with Aubameyang also expected to be moved on.

The Paris Saint-Germain superstar has admitted he is thinking about quitting international football following his nation’s shattering exit from the World Cup at the hands of Croatia in Friday’s quarter-final matchup.

Neymar had scored for Tite’s side in extra time of the tense last-eight clash and had looked set to seal his side’s place in the semi-final of the competition. However, Croatia hit back as Bruno Petkovic levelled the score with four minutes remaining of extra time before they went on to win 4-2 in the penalty shootout to book a last-four clash against Argentina.

Now, Neymar has shared several of his WhatsApp conversations with his teammates on his social media streams. “I decided to expose (without their permission) the messages to see how much we wanted to win and how united we were,” Neymar wrote on his Instagram stories.

“These were some of the many messages I exchanged with the group. We are feeling very sad, but we have to be stronger to keep going and I am I’m sure that, with the support of all the fans, we’ll come back stronger. I’m Brazilian with a lot of pride, with a lot of love!”

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In a screenshot of his conversation with Marquinhos, whose missed penalty against Croatia sealed Brazil’s fate, Neymar wrote: “A penalty will not change what I think of you.” To which Marquinhos replied: “I really wanted everything to go well. But you have to be strong, give it time and see what football has in store for us.”

In his talk with Thiago Silva, the PSG forward tells the defender that “I really wanted to give you this Cup.” The Chelsea defender’s response was blunt and sincere: “Brother, it’s more f***** up than I imagined, really. I can’t stand it. I can’t believe we lost. I can’t believe it. Every time I remember it makes me want to cry.”

Neymar also tried to lift the spirits of Rodrygo Goes, who also missed for Brazil during the penalty shootout and the PSG forward told him when apologising for his mistake: “I’m sorry… no. Are you crazy? Only those who hit the penalties miss them and you are an ace.”

Neymar was not one of the four Brazil penalty takers during the shootout defeat against Croatia and he was due to take his nation’s fifth penalty in the shootout, but the misses of Rodrygo and Marquinhos meant that it ended before Neymar’s turn.

The favourites went out at the quarter-final stage for the second World Cup running, losing on penalties to 2018 runners-up Croatia after a 1-1 draw.

Tite, 61, says he “goes in peace” after six years as Brazil manager.

But Neymar, 30, will take stock before confirming his decision, adding: “I need to think a bit more about this.”

The Paris St-Germain forward equalled Pele’s ‘official’ goalscoring record of 77 in 124 appearances for the Brazil men’s national team after firing them into the lead against Croatia in extra time.

But Bruno Petkovic’s 117th-minute equaliser and Brazil’s subsequent 4-2 defeat on penalties left the former Barcelona player with a decision to make.

“I am not closing any doors on the national team but I am also not guaranteeing 100% that I will return,” said Neymar, who made his international debut aged 18.

“I need to think a bit more about this, about what is the right thing for me and for the national team.”

Neymar played in three World Cups for the Selecao, helping them reach the semi-finals in his home country in 2014 before missing the 7-1 humiliation at the hands of Germany in the last four through injury.

“It is an awful feeling. I think this is a worse feeling than what happened at the last World Cup,” said Neymar, referring to Brazil’s 2-1 quarter-final defeat by Belgium at Russia 2018.

“It is difficult to find the words to describe this moment. We fought and I am proud of my teammates, proud of the character they showed to step up and take penalties.”

• ‘I go in peace’

Tite left no room for a possible return as Brazil’s coach.

He said before the tournament he would stand down regardless of his side’s performance.

“It is a painful defeat but I go in peace. It is the end of a cycle,” said the former Corinthians boss.

“I already said that a year and a half ago. I didn’t come here to win and then turn around and say I was going to stay. People who know me know that.”

He took on the role in 2016 and won the Copa America in 2019, but was unable to guide Brazil past the last-eight stage in two World Cups.

“It is very difficult,” added Tite, who won 61 of his 81 games in charge of Brazil, losing seven.

“I said I needed to have the full cycle and now I have the full cycle and have followed the moments.”

Asked whether he had left a legacy, he said: “Time will answer that. I am not in a position now to evaluate all the work we have done, but as time goes by you will be able to make that assessment.

“I don’t have the capacity to do that now after we have been eliminated.”

World governing body Fifa recognises the record, but the Brazilian Football Confederation and Pele will not because they say he scored 95 goals.

Fifa only counts games between two nations and some of Pele’s goals came in friendlies against club sides.

Neymar has made 124 Brazil appearances, equalling Pele’s tally from 92 games.

Pele – who won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970 – is currently receiving treatment in hospital in Sao Paulo.

Neymar’s tally is not an overall Brazilian record, with Marta having scored 115 for the women’s team since 2002.

He equalled the record at the end of the first period of extra time in Brazil’s quarter-final against Croatia when he combined with West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta, shrugged off Borna Sosa and fired into the roof of the net from four yards.

However, his side lost 4-2 on penalties, with Neymar yet to take one, after Bruno Petkovic equalised with Croatia’s first shot on target in the 116th minute.

The 30-year-old made his debut on 10 August 2010, scoring his first international goal in the 28th minute of a 2-0 win over the USA.

Eight of his goals have come in World Cups – four in 2014, two in 2018 and two so far in this tournament in Qatar – with another five coming in the Copa America.

He won the Confederations Cup in 2013, but his best World Cup run came when Brazil reached the semi-finals in 2014, while his best Copa America campaign ended with a runner-up spot in 2021.

Speaking on BBC One, former England midfielder Jermaine Jenas said: “Finally, one of the best players in the world turns up.

“What a goal that is. He has one thing in his mind to drive through the heart of Croatia.

“The balance, the composure, the brilliance – it has not been there all night, but when it mattered he delivered.”

Former Germany coach Jurgen Klinsmann called him a “difference-maker”, while Alex Scott said Neymar “produced a moment of magic”.

The 30-year-old forward was replaced in 80th minute of Thursday’s 2-0 win over Serbia after a heavy tackle by Nikola Milenkovic.

Neymar sat with his face covered while receiving treatment and pictures showed his right ankle was swollen.

He described the injury as “one of the hardest moments of my career”.

“Nothing in my life came easy and I’ve always had to work for my dreams and goals,” Neymar wrote on Instagram. “I have never wished anyone anything bad and always helped who needed.

“I’m injured, yes it’s not nice, it will hurt but I’m sure I will have the chance to come back because I’ll do everything possible to help my country, my team-mates and myself.”

Right-back Danilo will also miss the next two games with ankle damage.

Brazil face Switzerland in their second Group G game on Monday (16:00 GMT), before playing Cameroon next Friday (19:00 BST).

“Neymar and Danilo went through a MRI on Friday afternoon and we found ligament damage in the ankle of both of them,” said Brazil team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar.

“It is important to be calm and evaluate day by day. The idea is to recover them for the rest of the competition.”

Speaking after the win against Serbia, Brazil head coach Tite said they were “confident Neymar will continue playing in the World Cup” and that he “didn’t see he was injured – the capacity he has to overcome it tricked even me”.

The Paris St-Germain striker has suffered a number of injury problems with his right foot over the past few years.

He missed the 2019 Copa America after suffering torn ligaments in his right ankle and was out for several weeks in 2021 with a similar injury.

Neymar was fouled nine times during the game against Serbia, drawing four more free-kicks than any other player at this year’s World Cup so far.

In a dramatic move, the prosecutor announced the “withdrawal of the charges against all the accused and for all the allegations” they had faced.

Neymar, 30, had said he did not remember if he took part in the negotiations which led to an agreement sealed in 2011 with Barcelona over his transfer two years later to the Spanish side from Brazilian club Santos.

Spanish prosecutors had sought a two-year prison term for Neymar, a key member of the Brazil team that will be heading to the World Cup in Qatar next month, and the payment of a 10-million-euro ($9.7 million) fine.

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The dropping of the charges is the culmination of a years-long legal saga over Neymar’s high-profile transfer to Europe.

He then joined Qatar-owned Paris Saint-Germain in a world record 222-million-euro transfer in 2017.

Neymar had been one of nine defendants on trial on corruption-related charges, among them his parents and their N&N company, which manages his affairs.

DIS, which owned 40% of the rights to the Brazil forward at the time, argues it lost out because the transfer fee was undervalued.

Neymar, 30, has denied the allegations but lost an appeal in Spain’s High Court in 2017, leading to the trial being brought by Spanish prosecutors.

The Paris St-Germain player will have to appear in-person for the first day of the trail in Barcelona on Monday, the court said, but it is unclear if he will be asked to stay for the entire hearing that could last two weeks.

The other defendants are Neymar’s parents, the two clubs, former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, and former Santos president Odilio Rodrigues.

Rosell has also previously denied any wrongdoing.

In a statement, Baker McKenzie, the lawyers representing the Neymar family, claimed that Spanish courts “lack jurisdiction to prosecute the Neymar family and their company N&N” because the acts were committed by Brazilian nationals outside Spanish territory.

They also point out that the alleged crimes are not punishable in Brazil.

DIS acquired a percentage of Neymar’s rights when he was 17, in exchange for 2m euros.

Barcelona said at the time of Neymar’s move that the transfer fee was 57.1m euros, of which 40m euros was paid to his family.

The investment firm received a 40% share of the remaining 17.1m euros that was paid to Brazilian club Santos.

“Neymar’s rights have not been sold to the highest bidder,” DIS lawyer Paulo Nasser told a news conference in Barcelona on Thursday. “There were clubs that offered up to 60m euros.”

As well as the five-year jail term demand, DIS is also requesting prison sentences for Rosell and Bartomeu, and a 149m euros fine.

Spanish prosecutors want a two-year prison term for Neymar and the payment of a 10m euros fine and a five-year jail term for Rosell, plus an 8.4m euros fine for Barcelona.

Baker McKenzie’s statement added that the Neymar family have been charged with “corruption between private individuals” which applies to “competition of products and services between companies” whereas Neymar “is not a service or a commodity”.

Finally, the statement added that the transfer had not broken any Fifa rules.

Neymar’s father, mother and the family company N&N have also been charged in the case, along with former Santos manager Odilio Rodrigues and Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, the then-president and vice-president of Barcelona respectively.

The case stems from a complaint by DIS, which owned part of Neymar’s transfer rights and alleges that it received less money than it was entitled to when Neymar joined Barcelona.

Investigations were carried out in Spain and Brazil into whether any part of the transfer fee had been concealed and the trial, to be held at the Provincial Court of Barcelona, is scheduled to run until Oct. 31.

Neymar has denied wrongdoing but, in 2017, Spain’s High Court rejected appeals by the player, his parents, N&N and the two clubs, paving the way for the case to go to trial.

Neymar shown the PSG door

Neymar’s lackluster commitment to training – or as El País call it “his systematic indiscipline” has been cited as the club’s main gripe. And the player’s father was informed of the club’s intention in recent days.

This news comes after Nasser Al-Khelaifi told Le Parisien last week that “we want players who love the club, who love to fight, who love to win. And we want this mentality to spread throughout the club.”

The player himself is said to feel undervalued in Paris, and intends to show the PSG hierarchy that their desire to get rid is an error.

His aim now is to win the Ballon d’Or at another club, El País adds – which, if memory serves correctly, was the reason he left Barcelona in the first place. And that has not gone overly well. Perhaps best to focus on something else. Training, maybe.

Complicating matters, El Pais add, is the player’s brutal salary on a contract that runs until 2027. Thus, Neymar may have to leave on loan, with the Paris club set to cover some – read a lot – of his wages.

However, Neymar will not face the ignominy of getting farmed out to a Ligue 2 club. Nope. Chelsea, report Marca, have emerged as a potential destination for the 30-year-old. And another Brazilian jettisoned from the Parc des Princes – Thiago Silva – has stoked the proverbial transfer fires by saying that Neymar “has” to join Chelsea.

“He [Neymar] has to join Chelsea,” Silva said. “If it happens, it will be the best thing. Neymar needs no comment. So far, I don’t know anything, but I hope it comes to fruition.”

Now, on first inspection, Neymar to Chelsea seems to have as much credibility as the ITKs throwing about “Raphinha to Arsenal. Done deal. Seen the signed paperwork.”

However, the Brazilian would represent a lowish risk marquee signing for the incoming ownership group, Thomas Tuchel likes a forward who excels in one-on-one situations, has previously said the player “has a good heart“, and while Neymar has hardly embellished his reputation at PSG, he is still Neymar, and is still just 30

Thus, the Brazilian might be about to set about a serious redemption arc: winning the Ballon d’Or on loan at Chelsea. Granted it is not Burton Albion, but, still, for fans of narratives, this is a narrative.

Imagine the scenes as the Brazilian scores the winner in the Champions League final against PSG obviously – and then drops the Mbappe folded arms celebration, and collects the Ballon d’Or months later with the same celebration. All while on a five-year loan. Narrative.

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The former Barcelona and Santos forward emerged as the highest bidder at an auction which was organized by teammate Idrissa Gueye in Paris.

The 2021 AFCON was won by Senegal, who defeated Egypt on penalties following a goalless draw in regulation and extra time.

Liverpool forward, Sadio Mane was the hero as he scored the winning penalty in the shootout as Senegal won their first continental title in Cameroon.

Aliou Cisse’s side went on to win 4-2 on penalties after Mohamed Abdelmonem and Mohanad Lasheen missed their kicks.

Gueye, therefore, decided to auction the AFCON final ball for charity, inviting a number of his PSG teammates to the ceremony, including Kylian Mbappe.

Different bids were made for the ball, but Neymar eventually won after paying €160,000 to have the right to own it.

The money accrued from the auction will be used to fund HIV and cancer care for children across Africa.

Meanwhile, there were also autographed jerseys of PSG stars Kaylor Navas, Marco Verratti, and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema that were auctioned.

The 2021 AFCON ball had the signatures of all the Senegal players who represented the country at the tournament as they won their first-ever continental title.

“I think it will be my last World Cup,” the 29-year-old told DAZN.

“I will play it like it is the last because I don’t know if I will still have the mental strength to put up with even more football.”

Neymar, who has played in two World Cups and is his country’s second top scorer of all time behind Pele, will be 34 when the 2026 tournament rolls around.

“I will do everything to get to the 2022 World Cup in great shape and will do everything to win for my country, to fulfill my biggest dream since I was little,” added the Paris Saint-Germain star.

Neymar played in the 2014 World Cup on home soil and scored four goals.

However, he was to suffer a back injury before Brazil were humiliated 7-1 by Germany in the semifinals.

Four years later, in Russia, Brazil were knocked out by Belgium in the quarterfinals.

So far, his international honours have been limited to the 2013 Confederations Cup and an Olympic gold medal in Rio in 2016.

Injury ruled him out of the 2019 Copa America which Brazil won as well as the 2021 edition where Argentina triumphed in the final.

Brazil is comfortably placed to reach the 2022 World Cup in Qatar having won all nine of their qualifiers in the South American region so far.

The huge new deal is reportedly worth £26m per season, with the forward set to be on that lucrative £500,000-a-week rate until the summer of 2025.

Neymar, 29, had one season remaining on the deal he signed when joining PSG in 2017, and has been repeatedly linked with a move away from Ligue 1, possibly even with a return to Barcelona. But this weekend’s announcement puts an end to that transfer speculation.

This week’s Champions League semi-final defeat to Manchester City means that Neymar’s wait for European glory with PSG continues. The Brazilian has missed five knockout matches in the Champions League since joining PSG due to injury, but has featured heavily in the side’s run to the final last year and semi-finals this season.

Neymar has scored 85 goals in his 112 PSG appearances since joining from Barcelona, winning seven domestic trophies in that time.

“Paris Saint-Germain is delighted to announce that Neymar da Silva Santos Junior has signed a contract extension for a further three seasons until 30 June 2025.” A statement read.

“Since joining the club in 2017, the Brazilian international (103 caps, 64 goals) has carved out a place among the Paris Saint-Germain club legends. With 85 goals and 51 assists in his 112 games for the club, PSG’s twinkle-toed no.10 has also broken into the top ten scorers in the club’s history.

Neymar himself said “I’m really pleased to continue my adventure at Paris Saint-Germain,

“I’m very happy in Paris, and proud to be part of this squad, to work with these players, a great coach and to be part of the history of this club.

“These are things that make me believe even more in this great project. I have grown as a person here, as a human being and as a player, too. So I am very happy to extend my contract and I hope to win many more trophies here.”

Focus will now turn to the future of Neymar’s PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe. The 22-year-old Frenchman also has just a year left on his existing deal, and has been heavily linked with a move away this summer, with Real Madrid the most likely destination.

But, with Real and a number of Europe’s biggest clubs unlikely to spend huge money following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mbappe’s options may well be limited. PSG are hopeful of using that to persuade the World Cup winner to agree a new deal later this month.

The Brazilian was pictured screaming in agony and clutching his ankle after suffering the injury in stoppage time.

It followed a poor challenge from Thiago Mendes, who was sent off.

Tino Kadewere scored the only goal of the game as PSG dropped to third in the table, one point behind leaders Lille and second-placed Lyon.

PSG boss Thomas Tuchel said Neymar would have tests to establish how serious the injury was.

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“He’s with the physio and the doctors and we have to wait for the tests tomorrow (Monday),” he told French broadcaster Telefoot.

Neymar, 28, joined PSG for a world-record fee of 222m euros (£200m) from Barcelona in August 2017.

He has helped the club win three successive Ligue 1 titles as well as reach last season’s Champions League final.

PSG are seeded when the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League takes place on Monday.

The match resumed goalless in the 14th minute, the time Tuesday night’s encounter was abandoned with fourth official Sebastian Coltescu accused of using a racist term towards Pierre Webo, Basaksehir’s assistant coach.

Neymar broke the deadlock in stupendous fashion seven minutes after the restart, nutmegging the defender and curling a beautiful shot into the top corner. The Brazilian doubled his side’s advantage with a goal on the counter-attack from Kylian Mbappe’s assist.

Mbappe grabbed PSG’s third from the penalty spot to end a goal drought in the competition dating back to December 11, 2019, after VAR ruled out Mitchel Bakker’s goal and awarded the hosts a spot-kick for goalkeeper Mert Gunok’s foul on Neymar.

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Neymar netted his hat-trick after the restart, playing a give-and-go with Angel Di Maria before lashing it past the helpless Gunok.

Basaksehir scored a consolation through Mehmet Topal before Mbappe sealed his second of the game with a simple tap in after being fed by the selfless Di Maria.

The result means PSG leapfrog, RB Leipzig, to top the group, while Basaksehir’s European journey ends on a sorry note.

The Brazilian enjoyed four successful seasons alongside the six-time Ballon d’Or winner at Barcelona before making a world record 222 million euro ($264m) move to the French capital in 2017.

“It’s what I most want, to enjoy being with him on the field again,” Neymar, whose contract at PSG runs until 2022, told ESPN.

“I want to play with him for sure, next year we have to do it.”

Neymar was heavily linked with a return to Barcelona in 2019, but the Catalan giants were unable to fund an acceptable offer for PSG.

Barca have had to agree salary cuts worth 122 million euros in players’ salaries this season to help offset the financial hole left by the coronavirus pandemic and are highly unlikely to be in a position to bring Neymar back next year.

Instead, it is Messi who could be on the move as the Argentine is out of contract at the end of the season and publicly expressed his desire to leave in August.

Then Barca president Josep Maria Bartomeu would not free Messi from the final year of his deal at the Camp Nou, but Bartomeu has since resigned with new presidential elections scheduled for January 24.

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Manchester City were the favourites to land Messi’s signature earlier this year, but PSG could be an alternative for a player who will turn 34 at the end of this season.

“He can play in my position, there is no problem,” Neymar joked. “Take me out.”

Neymar’s partnership with Kylian Mbappe is yet to deliver PSG’s first-ever Champions League title, but the French champions should have another shot in this season’s knockout stages after a vital victory in Manchester.

Thomas Tuchel’s men are now level on points with United and RB Leipzig with one game in Group H to come.

But PSG are in the driving seat as they host already-eliminated Istanbul Basaksehir next week, while United travel to Germany needing a point to reach the last 16.

Both sides probed with intent in the early exchanges but it was PSG who went ahead after a mistimed challenge from Marcel Sabitzer felled Angel Di Maria just inside the box. Neymar stepped up and stroked the penalty just out of Peter Gulacsi’s reach.

A block from Marquinhos and a fine save from Keylor Navas prevented Leipzig from replying instantly, while in the dying seconds of the first half Emil Forsberg volleyed over after fine work from Dani Olmo.

PSG were looking to counter and the gameplan almost paid off, but a fine tackle from Dayot Upamecano stopped Kylian Mbappe from latching onto Neymar’s square ball.

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After the break, Leipzig continued to dominate play but clear-cut chances were few and far between. Forsberg missed another chance to volley home with poor timing before Yussuf Poulsen mistimed a chance of his own.

PSG defended deeper and deeper, with Marquinhos making countless clearances. Though they barely saw the ball, a fine rearguard action from the hosts saw them over the finish line, and into second place in their group.

At the end of the match, Neymar, 28, had to be consoled in the dugout by PSG sporting director Leonardo.

If PSG had won, it would have been Neymar’s first champions league title since leaving Barcelona in 2016.

More photos below:

Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar will serve a one-game ban following his red card against Marseille on Sunday.

After picking up his first red card since joining the Ligue 1 side from Barcelona for a world-record fee, Neymar will be forced to sit out PSG’s match against Nice on Friday.

The Brazil international was sent off late in the 2-2 draw in Le Classique after clashing with Lucas Ocampos, who may have overdramatised the incident.

It was Neymar’s second yellow card in three minutes, but Edinson Cavani managed to earn Ligue 1 leaders PSG a point with a late free-kick.

Neymar will face a further one-match suspension if he commits the same offence before the end of the Ligue 1 season.

The Brazil international made the 222m euro (£200m) move to the French club in August after buying out his contract.
Barcelona now want him to return a renewal bonus he was paid when he signed a new five-year deal just nine months before forcing through the move.
“The club demands the player return the already paid sum as he has not completed his contract,” it said.
As well as the 8.5m euro bonus, the club wants “an additional 10% because of delayed payment”.
The statement continued: “The club also requests Paris St-Germain take on responsibility for the payment of these fees if the player cannot do so himself.”
Paris St-Germain later responded to say they were “surprised” by Barcelona’s statement, adding: “The club repeats that, along with Neymar Jr, it strictly respected all applicable laws and rules and can only regret, once again, the attitude of FC Barcelona.”
The lawsuit was submitted on 11 August to the Labour Tribunal in Barcelona.
Following the transfer, Barcelona announced the club was withholding a further 26m euro (£23m) loyalty bonus from the player.
Neymar criticised the directors of the club on Sunday after scoring twice on his home debut for PSG in a 6-2 win over Toulouse.

“I spent four beautiful years there and parted happy,” said the 25-year-old. “But with [the board], no.
“For me, they are not the people who should be there, for the direction of Barca. Barca deserve much better.“