TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Brazil forward Neymar announced the end of his international career after the five-time world champions were eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup by Norway in the Round of 16 on Sunday.
The 34-year-old forward made the announcement after Brazil suffered a 2-1 defeat at MetLife Stadium, where Erling Haaland scored twice to send Norway into the quarterfinals. Neymar came off the bench to score a late consolation goal from the penalty spot before breaking down in tears at the final whistle.
"I tried, I tried. Now, it's over," Neymar told Globo after the match.
"I started here; I finished here."
The emotional farewell carried symbolic significance. Neymar made his Brazil debut against the United States at MetLife Stadium in August 2010, scoring his first international goal in the same match. Sixteen years later, he ended his Brazil career at the very same venue.
As reported by ESPN, Neymar leaves the national team as Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 80 goals, surpassing Pelé's record by three goals. His stoppage-time penalty against Norway also made him only the second Brazilian man, after Pelé, to score in four different FIFA World Cups.
Neymar also finishes with 130 international appearances, second only to Cafu's 142 for Brazil.
Persistent injury problems limited Neymar's impact at the tournament. A nagging right calf injury restricted him to just two appearances in Brazil's five World Cup matches. He played 15 minutes against Scotland during the group stage before making a second-half substitute appearance against Norway.
His exit marks the end of one of the most successful individual careers in Brazilian football history, with the national team now expected to enter a new era under coach Carlo Ancelotti.
"It is a very disappointing result, and all of us are really saddened," Ancelotti said after the defeat.
"But this was a great group, and I have to thank my players; they worked really hard. I don't think we deserved to lose, but we have to accept it."
The Italian coach added that Brazil must use the painful elimination as motivation for the future.
"That is football for you. Sometimes, you have to manage the sadness and bitter taste of a defeat," Ancelotti said.
"We are going to take this defeat and use it as fuel for the new cycle."
According to Al Jazeera, Brazil captain Marquinhos urged supporters to remain patient as the team begins rebuilding following Neymar's retirement from international football.
"We ask that people will have patience with the new generation and support them from the get-go," Marquinhos said.
Brazil's elimination marked its earliest exit from a World Cup since 1990, while Norway advanced to the quarterfinals after one of the biggest upsets of the tournament.
Read: Haaland Sends Norway Past Brazil into World Cup Last Eight
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