Neymar retires from international football following Brazil’s heartbreaking last-16 exit at the 2026 World Cup.
The defeat marks Brazil’s worst World Cup performance since 1990, when Argentina eliminated them at the same stage.
Neymar enters as a late substitute at MetLife Stadium and pulls one back from the penalty spot deep in injury time, but it serves only as a consolation. Erling Haaland nets twice for Norway, securing a 2-1 victory.
The 34-year-old finishes as Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 80 goals in 130 appearances. Ironically, he scores his first international goal for his country in the same stadium during a 2-0 win against the United States in 2010.
“I tried, and I tried. Now it’s over. It began here, and it ends here,” Neymar says in a brief exchange with a journalist from Brazil’s Globo Esporte after the game.
He collapses in tears when the final whistle blows and requires consolation from his teammates. The emotional full-circle moment at MetLife Stadium brings an end to his illustrious 16-year international career.
