Neymar confirms retirement from international football
Collected Photo
Neymar da Silva Santos Junior has officially confirmed that he will no longer play for Brazil, reaffirming the retirement decision he announced after the team's 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Brazilian forward came on as a substitute against Norway and scored from the penalty spot in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time. It was his final goal and final appearance for the Selecao.
With that goal, Neymar became only the second Brazilian footballer to score in four different World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026). The first to achieve the feat was Pele.
Neymar ends his 16-year international career as Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 80 goals in 130 appearances. Only Cafu has played more matches for Brazil, with 142 caps.
After Brazil's World Cup exit, Neymar initially said his international career was over. He reiterated that decision after Santos' 4-2 victory over Universidad Central, telling reporters, "My time with the national team is over. I made history and experienced many happy moments. I gave my blood, my life, everything for this shirt. I always fought for the yellow jersey. But now I don't want to play anymore."
Neymar broke down in tears after the final whistle against Norway. Having brought his 16-year journey with Brazil to an end, he will now focus on playing for his childhood club Santos in the Brazilian Serie A. However, recent reports suggest he is unlikely to extend his current contract, which runs until December.
