Brazil superstar Neymar has announced his retirement from international football following a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. The 34-year-old icon broke down in tears after the final whistle at MetLife Stadium, the very same venue where he made his senior international debut back in 2010. Neymar came off the bench and scored a late stoppage-time penalty to cut the deficit following an Erling Haaland brace for Norway, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the five-time world champions from a shock exit. In an emotional post-match interview, Neymar stated, “I tried, I tried. Now it’s over. I started here, I finished here.” Limited by a right calf injury earlier in the tournament, the forward ends his illustrious 16-year international career as Brazil’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer with 80 goals in 130 appearances, surpassing the legendary Pelé’s official tally. While a World Cup title ultimately eluded him across four tournaments, Neymar walks away having won the 2013 Confederations Cup and an Olympic gold medal in 2016.
