New Jersey, July 6: Neymar confirmed that his international career with Brazil has come to an end after the five-time champions were knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup by Norway in the Round of 16.
An emotional Neymar made the announcement following Brazil’s 2-1 defeat at MetLife Stadium, where the 34-year-old came off the bench in the 67th minute with his side already trailing 2-0.
The veteran forward pulled a goal back from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, but it was only a consolation as Norway secured a famous victory to eliminate the Selecao.
“I tried, I tried. Now it’s over. I started here, I finished here,” Neymar told TV Globo after the match, indicating that the appearance would be his final one in Brazil colours.
The moment carried added significance as MetLife Stadium was also the venue where Neymar made his senior Brazil debut in August 2010, scoring in a 2-0 friendly victory over the United States.Over a glittering international career spanning nearly 16 years, Neymar established himself as Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 80 goals. He also finishes second on the country’s all-time appearance list, having represented Brazil 130 times, behind only Cafu’s 142 caps.The forward returned to the national team for the 2026 World Cup after a lengthy absence caused by injury, having not featured for Brazil since 2023. (AP)
