Neymar retires from Brazil duty after World Cup exit to Haaland-inspired Norway

Neymar has retired from international football after Brazil’s 2-1 round-of-16 defeat to Norway at the 2026 World Cup, ending a career with the Seleção that spanned four tournaments and a national-record 80 goals.

The 34-year-old came off the bench at MetLife Stadium and converted a stoppage-time penalty to narrow the deficit, but it was not enough to prevent an early exit for Carlo Ancelotti’s side, who were undone by an Erling Haaland-inspired performance. Speaking to Globo TV in the immediate aftermath, Neymar was unambiguous about his decision. “I tried, I tried. Now it’s over,” he said. “I started here, I finished here.”

The venue carried particular significance: MetLife Stadium was also the site of Neymar’s international debut in 2010, lending a full-circle quality to his farewell. That late penalty was his first goal for Brazil since 2023 and extended his standing as the country’s all-time leading men’s scorer, a record he has held outright for several years.

The goal also placed him alongside Pelé as only the second Brazilian to score in four separate World Cup tournaments — a milestone that will endure despite the bitter circumstances of the exit.

Neymar had been a surprise inclusion in Ancelotti’s squad given a calf injury that ruled him out of pre-tournament friendlies and Brazil’s opening group games against Morocco and Haiti. He made just two substitute appearances across the tournament, remaining an unused substitute as Brazil edged past Japan in the round-of-32 in Houston.

This summer had long been anticipated as his final World Cup, a sense Neymar himself appeared to acknowledge with a social media post hinting at a ‘last dance’ before the tournament began. After the final whistle against Norway, he was visibly emotional, fighting back tears as he waved to supporters inside the stadium.

At his peak, Neymar was the world’s most expensive footballer following his world-record move to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017. Injuries and inconsistency hampered his later years, but his international record — 80 goals in 128 appearances — stands as one of the most decorated in the history of South American football.