World Cup 2022: Neymar feels mid-season staging will improve quality of tournament

Holding the World Cup 2022 during the domestic season will only enhance the quality of football at the tournament, according to Neymar.

The PSG star is aiming to inspire Brazil to glory this winter, having fallen short at the last two World Cups – but he expects the Selecao to face some seriously stiff competition.

Neymar – who's now just three goals away from usurping Pele as his country's all-time top scorer – also revealed which nations he expects to be challenging for the crown of world champions this time around.

In an interview with Esquire Middle East, Neymar reflected on his previous World Cup experiences – including the 2014 tournament, where he was injured for Brazil's infamous 7-1 semi-final thumping by Germany on home soil. He said:

"Losing is never easy in football, but at a World Cup it's worse. That's why you have to do the preparation right, be 100% right physically and mentally. The preparation for this World Cup is better than usual because it's coming in the middle of the season, where you're at your best physically. Players can be tired for tournaments at the end of a season and so I think the level of this World Cup is going to be very high."

The 30-year-old went on to mention holders France, Brazil's arch-rivals Argentina, Belgium, England, and Germany as his favourites to triumph in Qatar.

Brazil get their World Cup campaign underway on 24 November against Serbia – who they also faced in the group stage four years ago. The same goes for Switzerland, while Cameroon complete Group G.

This will be Neymar's third World Cup – and he'll be desperate to make it third time lucky in terms of realising his childhood dream. 

"It has been my dream since I was a kid to win the World Cup,” he said. “I have imagined myself holding that trophy and I’ve got another opportunity coming up to try and do that in Qatar. I hope I will be smiling at the end.”