Neymar's much-discussed comments on his participation in the 2022 World Cup were misinterpreted, according to his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Marquinhos.
PSG broke the world transfer record when they acquired Neymar from Barcelona for €222 million (£188m/$259m) in the summer of 2017, but he has since struggled to live up to that lofty price tag.
The Brazilian's exploits on the pitch have been overshadowed by niggling injuries and disciplinary issues, with critics often calling his commitment to the collective cause into question, and that scrutiny appears to have taken its toll.
Neymar's surprise admission
Neymar raised doubts over his long-term future in the game while away on international duty at the start of the month as he admitted that next year's World Cup in Qatar could be his last.
The 29-year-old told DAZN: "I think it's my last World Cup. I see it as my last because I don't know if I have the strength of mind to deal with football anymore.
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"So I'll do everything to turn up well, do everything to win with my country, to realise my greatest dream since I was little. And I hope I can do it."
Marqinhos defends his compatriot
Marquinhos has now insisted that Neymar's remarks have been blown out of proportion, while dismissing any suggestion that he could also turn his back on PSG in the near future.
"I think his statements were misinterpreted," the defender has told Le Parisien. "He just said he didn't know what he would be like in four years. It makes sense, it's far. I don't know how I will be either.
"Neymar knows all the expectations around him and he understands them. He just meant that he was focused on the next World Cup. And above all, he was only talking about the national team and not the club.
"That too was misinterpreted. He does not intend to stop playing for PSG."
Meanwhile, Marco Verratti, who plays alongside both men at PSG, has expressed his admiration towards Neymar for how he deals with being under the spotlight week in, week out.
"He is a very humble, very generous person. He always has a smile. I understand perfectly and I do not suffer a tenth of what he lives," the midfielder told Amazon Prime Video.
"We are asked to behave like normal people, but when we act like normal people, we are criticized for it. From the outside, everyone thinks that we make a lot of money to play football. But it's also a job, in the end, it's not just a game."
Marqinhos addresses Chelsea interest
Marquinhos also set the record straight with regards to his links to Chelsea in the summer transfer window, revealing that PSG refused to enter into negotiations with the Premier League giants.
Asked whether he considered a move to Stamford Bridge, the Brazil international replied: "No! It wasn’t even an offer. In fact, the club blocked talks straight away. It shows the faith they have in me. It’s an honour for a club like PSG to put such faith in me.
"The fact that others are interested in me means I am doing well. It gives me the motivation to go on, boost my training sessions and play even better. Paris and PSG are the only things on my mind."