Brazilian football star Neymar has announced his retirement from international football following Brazil’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Norway in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16, bringing the curtain down on a glittering career with the national team.
The 34-year-old scored a stoppage-time penalty in what turned out to be Brazil’s final match of the tournament, but the late goal was only a consolation as the five-time world champions suffered their earliest World Cup exit since 1990, extending their wait for a record sixth title.
An emotional Neymar broke down in tears after the final whistle as teammates gathered to comfort him. Speaking after the match, he confirmed that the game marked the end of his journey with Brazil.
“I tried, I tried… Now it’s over. I started here, I finished here,” Neymar said, referring to the New Jersey stadium where he made his senior Brazil debut in a friendly against the United States in 2010.
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Brazil’s elimination means the team has now gone 24 years without a World Cup title, having last lifted the trophy in 2002. If the Selecao fail to win the 2030 FIFA World Cup, it will mark their longest title drought since claiming their first World Cup in 1958.
Neymar retires as one of the greatest players in Brazil’s football history, finishing his international career with 80 goals and 58 assists in 130 appearances. While he enjoyed remarkable success at club level, his only senior international trophy with Brazil remains the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, with the FIFA World Cup title ultimately eluding him.
