Neymar Retirement: Brazilian star Neymar announced his retirement from international football after Brazil lost to Norway 2-1 in the round of 16. At 34 years old, the forward holds the record as the highest scorer in the history of the Brazilian men’s national team with 80 goals in 129 matches. Neymar was very emotional after the game ended at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, as he dropped to the floor crying and was consoled by his teammates. He was the second Brazilian after Pel to score in four World Cups through his goal in stoppage time on Sunday. In Brazil’s all-time list, Neymar’s 130 games are only surpassed by Cafu’s (142).
FIFA World Cup 2026: Neymar Jr announces retirement after Norway knocks Brazil out
After scoring in Brazil’s World Cup round of 16 loss to Norway on Sunday, Neymar announced that it was his last game for the team. In Brazil’s 2-1 defeat, the forward scored a penalty kick in stoppage time, as the five-time winners were eliminated and prolonged their search for a sixth World Cup victory. Speaking briefly after the match to Bruno Formiga, a Brazilian pundit, Neymar indicated that his international tenure with Brazil had come to an end.
“I tried, I tried … Now it’s over! I started here, I finished here,” Neymar said, referring to the stadium in New Jersey, where he made his Brazil debut in a friendly against the United States in 2010. The 34-year-old was moved to tears after the match. It was the national team’s worst World Cup performance since 1990. Brazil are now heading towards their longest spell without a World Cup title since they first won the tournament. By 2030, they will have gone 28 years without lifting the trophy.
Neymar’s International career with Brazil
Neymar has been in the squad for four World Cup tournaments since his first cap in 2010. Besides that, he has played in two Olympics, winning a silver medal in 2012 and leading Brazil to a gold medal in 2016.
In the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian forward was on the pitch on two occasions, both times coming off the bench. He had a very limited role in the second half of the group stage match against Scotland before netting his only goal of the competition from the penalty spot in stoppage time against Norway.
With his club teams, Neymar has secured several trophies but his only senior trophy with Brazil remains the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
