'Don't decide anything now!': Ronaldo urges Neymar to rethink Brazil retirement

Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario has urged Neymar not to rush into international retirement following Brazil's 2026 World Cup exit, urging him to return to club football and work on regaining his rhythm.

After Brazil’s exit from the World Cup, following the 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16 in New Jersey, Neymar hinted his Selecao career was over.

“I tried. I tried… Now it’s over. I started here, I finished here,” Neymar said after the match, hinting that he had also made his debut at the same venue in a friendly against the US in 2010.

However, Ronaldo has now stepped in with counsel for the 34-year-old, insisting a tournament exit is the wrong moment for career-defining decisions.

Speaking to TNT Sports Brasil, the former striker said, “Don't demand anything from yourself and don’t decide anything now, you don’t need to. Nobody needs to resolve anything right now.”

He pointed to the physical toll Neymar endured just to reach the tournament, after a long fight with fitness issues.

"He will return to his club, he will play again. We cannot forget that he is coming off two years of serious injury," Ronaldo explained. "He arrived as a sacrifice for this World Cup."

"He will catch the rhythm again. He will play 10, 15 games in a row. He will get back to scoring goals, he will regain his confidence," he added.

Ronaldo believes Neymar remains a valuable option for Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti in the future if his fitness holds.

"In a little while he'll be excited again and who knows, maybe Ancelotti will see him as an option for the Brazilian national team," he said.

He was clear the talent was never in doubt. "He has the technical condition. Now, he needs to be physically well so he can be decisive," Ronaldo added.