3 min readUpdated: Jul 29, 2026 08:22 PM IST
Brazilian superstar Neymar who seemingly confirmed his retirement after Brazil’s shock loss to Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32, made it official on Wednesday after Santos’ 4-2 victory over Universidad Central.
“My time with the national team is over. I made history, I was very happy, I gave my blood, my life, I always fought for the yellow jersey, but now I don’t want to anymore,” Neymar reiterated after the match.
One of Brazilian football’s most flamboyant talents, Neymar was reduced to tears following the 2–1 defeat to Norway, which brought the Seleção’s campaign to a crushing halt earlier this month.
An inconsolable Neymar confirmed that he has played his last game for the national team.
“I tried, I tried… Now it’s over! I started here, I finished here,” Neymar had said, gesturing to the very stadium in New Jersey where he had made his Brazil debut in a friendly against the United States back in 2010. Against Norway, he came off the bench and scored a late penalty in the final minutes, but it proved insufficient to rescue his side.
The 34-year-old brings down the curtain on his Brazil career with 80 goals and 58 assists in 130 appearances. His retirement brings to an end one of the most celebrated international careers in Brazilian football. During his time with the Selecao, Neymar helped the country lift the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013 and won the Olympic gold medal on home soil at the Rio 2016 Games.
The veteran forward’s participation in the World Cup had remained uncertain until the final stages of squad selection due to his fitness concerns. However, head coach Carlo Ancelotti included him in Brazil’s 26-man squad, hoping his experience would inspire another deep run in the tournament.
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The Round of 16 exit marked Brazil’s earliest World Cup knockout-stage departure since 1990. The most successful nation in World Cup history now finds itself on the brink of its longest drought without lifting the trophy since its first triumph. By 2030, the Seleção will have gone 28 years without a world title.
