Neymar Would 'Love to Play in the U.S.'; Brazilian Football Star Jokes About Shorter MLS Season

Brazil football star Neymar thinks about going to Major League Soccer (MLS) ahead of the end of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar expressed his hopes to play in MLS during an interview with RonaldoTV where he is asked if he would return and play in Brazil, The Sporting News reported.

"I don't know. I have some doubts about that. I don't know if I'll play in Brazil again... I'd love to play in the U.S., actually. I'd like to play there for at least a season," Neymar said, per ESPN.

Why Does Neymar Want to Play in MLS?

When the Brazilian football star was asked why he wanted to play in MLS, Neymar joked about the shorter length of time players in the league play.

"First of all, their season is shorter, so I'd get three months' vacation. I'd play many more years," Neymar said on the podcast.

The regular season of MLS usually ends in November and the playoffs typically run through December with preseason training that begins in mid-January. However, the calendar was pushed up because of the 2022 World Cup happening in winter.

In the interview, Neymar did not blatantly say that he would play in the MLS. However, it was not the first time the Brazilian football star has hinted that he wanted to be in the U.S. league.

MLS mentioned that two years ago, David Beckham made a pitch to Neymar saying that he is going to get the football star to sign a blank piece of paper that will turn out to be a contract for Miami for at least 10 years.

Beckham joked that Miami is not going to pay much, but Neymar smiled and said "deal."

Should Neymar continue to pursue his career in MLS, he will be one of the biggest Brazilian football stars to play in the U.S. league. It can be recalled that Kaka and legend Pele played in the league during their active days in the field.

Kaka played with Orlando City from 2014 to 2017 while Pele played with New York Cosmos in the 1970s.

Brazil Football Star Neymar on His Retirement

In the interview, Neymar also expressed his thoughts on retirement.

The Brazilian star opened up that he joked with his friends that he would exit the football field at the age of 32.

"But it's a joke. I don't know. Honestly, I will play until I'm mentally tired. If my mental health is ok and my body as well... Physically I think I'll still last a few years. But my mental health is the most important thing," Neymar said, adding that his current contract will last until he is 34 years old, and he is going to play until then.

Currently, Neymar is under contract with Paris Saint-Germain until June 2025.

Neymar presently plays with fellow football icons, including Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, as their team chases their first-ever UEFA Champions League title.

Neymar started his career at 17 years old with Brazilian club Santos, per ESPN. He then signed to FC Barcelona in 2013 and moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. MLS noted that Neymar's PASG transfer worth €222 million is the most expensive transfer fee in global soccer history.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written By: Joshua Summers

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