📹 Neymar recalls 2022 World Cup exit: I saw my own funeral | OneFootball

The 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is already "just around the corner," but the 2022 tournament in Qatar still haunts Neymar.

The Santos star, who has just over a month to convince coach Carlo Ancelotti that he is fit to take part in his fourth World Cup, recalled the pain of the penalty shootout elimination against Croatia.

In another video released on his YouTube channel, Neymar — who was talking with his Santos teammates — revealed what went on behind the scenes with the Brazilian national team after the quarterfinal exit.

"I've always taken penalties my whole life. In my head, the fifth one is the most... it might not even get to you, right. Honestly, in the game against Croatia, I thought I had died. We went to the hotel after the match... Man, it felt like the world had ended. We were slowly reuniting with our families, like 'The Walking Dead,' you know? Everyone walking past you looking kind of serious, with that face like (sadness), like, 'what a shitty thing, huh?' It was crazy. Man, I saw my funeral, what it’s going to be like. I swear to God."

"I was sitting in a little room and then people started arriving. My family arriving, everyone with red eyes, everyone greeting me, but not saying anything. There was nothing to say, but, like, I just sat there like this (arms crossed), for about five minutes, just looking, and nobody said anything, just looking at you. I thought, 'Damn, it feels like I’m inside a coffin.' You know when everyone stops (in front of the coffin) and says, 'damn, he really lived, huh.' That was the feeling. I said I was going to my room, that I wasn’t well, that I felt sick. I went to talk to Marquinhos (the center back), who didn’t want to see anyone either, then I left with my family. See you in Brazil. It was horrible, the shittiest feeling ever."

Coach Carlo Ancelotti will announce the final Brazil squad list on May 18.

Brazil's road toward a sixth World Cup title begins on June 13 against Morocco.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.

📸 ADRIAN DENNIS - AFP or licensors