By Ghazali Ibrahim
Brazilian football icon Neymar Jr has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a 16-year career with the national team following Brazil’s surprise elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 34-year-old made the announcement after Brazil suffered a stunning 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Neymar came off the bench to score a stoppage-time penalty, but it proved to be only a consolation as two goals from Erling Haaland sent Norway into the quarter-finals.
Neymar broke down in tears after the final whistle before confirming that his journey with the Brazilian national team had come to an end.
“I tried. It started here at MetLife Stadium, and I finished here. It is now over,” Neymar said after the match.
The retirement marks the end of one of the most celebrated international careers in Brazilian football history.
Neymar leaves as Brazil’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer, having scored 80 goals in 130 appearances while also providing 58 assists since making his senior debut in 2010.
During his time with the Seleção, Neymar helped Brazil win the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and captained the team to Olympic gold at the Rio 2016 Games.
However, the elusive FIFA World Cup title remained beyond his reach despite featuring in four editions of the tournament.
Brazil’s defeat to Norway also marked the nation’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990, extending the five-time champions’ wait for another global title after their last triumph in 2002.
Neymar’s farewell closes a chapter in Brazilian football, ending a career in which he established himself as one of the country’s greatest-ever players and one of the defining stars of his generation.
