Neymar officially said goodbye to the Brazil national team after the 1-2 defeat against Norway in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup on the morning of July 6.
Right after the final whistle at MetLife Stadium, Neymar could not hide his tears. He burst into tears and collapsed onto the pitch. A few minutes later, he made a statement that made Brazilian fans even more choked up.
In an emotional moment, the 34-year-old forward confirmed the conclusion of his journey of more than a decade with the yellow and green shirt: “I tried. I really tried. Everything started at MetLife Stadium and now it also ends here. It’s time to stop.”
That brief speech officially closed the international career of one of the best players in the history of Brazilian football. The 2026 World Cup was also a journey full of challenges for Neymar. After a long time struggling with injuries, he only managed to return just before the tournament and faced many doubts about his ability to contribute.
In the match against Norway, Neymar came on from the substitute bench and scored from the penalty spot in stoppage time, rekindling a glimmer of hope for “Selecao”. However, that was not enough to save Brazil from defeat and elimination.
Closing his journey with the national team, Neymar departed without being able to fulfill his biggest dream of lifting the World Cup gold cup. Even so, what he contributed over more than a decade still helps the number 10 write his name into the ranks of “Selecao” legends.
Up to the time he announced his retirement from the Brazil national team after the 2026 World Cup, Neymar scored 80 goals for Brazil, continuing to hold the record as the greatest goalscorer in the national team’s history. Personally, he also managed to score 9 goals at World Cups.
