Brazil’s talismanic number 10, Neymar, has called time on his legendary and tumultuous international career following a devastating 2-1 defeat to Norway in the World Cup Round of 16.
The 34-year-old superstar confirmed his retirement shortly after the final whistle at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday, bringing a poignant, full-circle conclusion to his journey with the Seleção.
Neymar started on the bench but was introduced as a late substitute as Brazil desperately chased the game following a dominant brace from Norway’s Erling Haaland. While Neymar managed to convert a penalty deep into injury time, it proved to be a mere consolation.
As the final whistle blew, sealing Brazil’s premature exit from the tournament, the forward collapsed to the pitch in tears and had to be consoled by teammates.
Neymar’s inclusion in Carlo Ancelotti’s 2026 World Cup squad had been a major talking point. Having returned to his boyhood club Santos after being plagued by severe injuries in recent years, his fitness was a constant question mark.
The venue of Sunday’s heartbreak holds massive historical significance for the forward. It was at this very stadium in East Rutherford that a teenage Neymar scored his first-ever international goal during a 2-0 victory against the United States back in 2010.
Sixteen years later, Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer walks away from the national team setup at the exact same location.
While his international career ends without the coveted World Cup trophy that evaded his generation, Neymar leaves the pitch as a titan of Brazilian football, closing a definitive chapter in the nation’s rich sporting history
