"I am destroyed"... Neymar Reacts To Brazil's Quarter-Final World Cup Exit Against Croatia.

Neymar reacts to his team quarter-final lost at the hands of a resilient Croatia side, as Brazil gets eliminated from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

The Brazilian star, says his team’s elimination from the 2022 World Cup following a devastating penalty shootout against the 2018 finalist Croatia has “psychologically destroyed” him.

Seleçãol were knocked out on Friday evening by Croatia in a stunning 4-2 penalty shoot-out, that left Neymar in tears at the Education City Stadium in Al-Rayyan, west of Doha.

Neymar had put Brazil on pace to cement a semifinal place by scoring the game’s first goal in the first half of extra time, which tied him with Pele as his country’s all-time leading scorer with 77 goals in 124 international matches.  Pele held that re ord for 51-years.

But Bruno Petkovic hit a dramatic late equaliser in the dying minutes of added time for Croatia to send the match to penalties.

Brazil who are ranked number one by FIFA heading into the 2022 World Cup and we're favorites to win the tournament, crashed out after losing the penalties to 12 ranked Croatia.

Neymar broke down in tears in midfield after his teammate Marquinhos’ shot rang off the post, giving Croatia the 4-2 win.

He had been slated to take the fifth penalty shot that never was.

It was Dani Alves and Thiago Silva who quickly came to his aid in a remarkable post-match moment, embracing the weeping Neymar as he absorbed his fate.

“I am psychologically destroyed,” Neymar said in an Instagram post on Saturday. 

“It is definitely the defeat which has hurt me the most, which left me paralysed for 10 minutes after the match, after which I burst into tears without being able to stop.”

“It is going to hurt for a very long time, unfortunately,” he said.

 The revelatory instagram post has gained more than 18.8 million likes and counting.

Following his emotional post, the comment section on Instagram was full of supportive messages towards the Brazilian forward.

"Lots of strength brother and cheer up," Luis Suarez wrote.

"Many times we fall but we always have the strength to keep going because we fight hard to succeed in this beautiful sport. Keep going strong little brother."

Former Real Madrid and AC Milan playmaker Kaka also send his message of support to the PSG star;

"The Lord is with you and so are we," Kaka wrote.

"He will heal [you] and we will continue to enjoy your talent."

Brazilian football legend Pele urged him to, “continue to be an inspiration”.

Pele, 82, who was hospitalised earlier this month for a respiratory infection amid a cancer diagnosis, also congratulated Neymar for tying his record in an Instagram post of his own.

“I saw you grow up, I cheered for you every day and finally I can congratulate you on equalling my number of goals with the Brazilian National Team,” wrote Pele. “We both know that it’s much more than a number. Our greatest duty as athletes is to inspire.”

He again called Neymar a national “inspiration”.

“Unfortunately, the day is not the happiest for us, but you will always be the source of inspiration that many aspire to become,” the football great added. “I’ve learned as time goes by the more our legacy grows. My record was set almost 50 years ago, and no one has come close to it until now. [You] got there boy.”

The 30-year-old Neymar had hinted that Qatar 2022 might be his last performance in a Brazil shirt, as he was unsure on Friday whether he’d return to the Brazil side.

“Honestly, I do not know,” he told reporters in Al Rayyan, Qatar, after the heartbreaking defeat.

“It’s too early to say that. I’ve no clear ideas yet, I can’t guarantee anything.”

However, World Cup team-mate and long-time colleague Dani Alves urged him against hanging up his boots for his country, arguing that Brazilian football "needs" him.

"This World Cup was my last one, for me it's time to say that," Alves told reporters after the game. 

"But I don't think it will be the same for Neymar; he's great, Brazilian football needs him to keep going."

While questions remain over his international career, Neymar will return to club duty when PSG face Strasbourg in Ligue 1 on Wednesday, December 28.

Meanwhile, as emotions continues running high for Brazilian fans in Doha and around the world after their unexpected departure from the tournament, the fans of the South American team will now have to wait another four years to win their sixth World Cup, their last dates back to 2002.