Neymar retires from international football after Brazil crash out of World Cup
Neymar retired from international football after Brazil lost 2-1 to Norway in the World Cup last 16. His exit ended a long Brazil career as Haaland's late brace sent Norway into the quarter-finals.
- Jul 06, 2026,
- Updated Jul 06, 2026, 8:06 AM IST
- Erling Haaland struck twice late to overturn Brazil's control at MetLife
- Neymar converted a stoppage-time penalty for his first tournament goal
- The goal lifted Neymar's Brazil tally to 80 goals and 59 assists
Neymar Jr. announced his retirement from international football after Brazil's FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign ended with a shock 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16 at MetLife Stadium on Sunday (local time).
The 34-year-old forward, Brazil's all-time leading scorer, confirmed his decision moments after the five-time world champions were knocked out, bringing the curtain down on one of the country's most decorated international careers.
Speaking after the match, Neymar said, "I tried, I tried. Now it's over. I started here; I finished here."
Brazil's hopes of lifting a sixth World Cup title were dashed by a late double from Erling Haaland. The Norway striker opened the scoring in the 79th minute with a powerful header from Andreas Schjelderup's cross before adding a second soon after to seal a famous victory.
Neymar scored Brazil's only goal in the 10th minute of stoppage time from the penalty spot after Leo Ostigard was penalised for fouling Casemiro. The strike was his first goal of the tournament and took his international record to 80 goals and 59 assists in 130 appearances, extending his position as Brazil's highest-ever goalscorer.
His retirement marks the end of a remarkable spell with the Selecao. Neymar helped Brazil win the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013 and also claimed Olympic gold on home soil at the Rio 2016 Games.
His place in Brazil's World Cup squad had remained uncertain until the final stages because of fitness concerns. Head coach Carlo Ancelotti ultimately included the veteran in the 26-man squad, hoping his experience would guide the team deep into the tournament.
Norway, however, produced one of the biggest upsets of the competition. After withstanding sustained pressure from Brazil, Haaland's late brace secured the Scandinavian nation's first-ever World Cup quarter-final berth. The Manchester City forward also moved level with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe on seven goals in the race for the Golden Boot.
For Brazil, the defeat extended a difficult run against European opposition, marking a seventh successive World Cup knockout-stage loss to a European team and the country's earliest exit from the tournament since 1990.
Neymar's farewell also closed the chapter on an international career that shaped Brazilian football for more than a decade.
