Kolkata : A heartbroken Neymar Jr has announced his retirement from international Football following Brazil’s departure from FIFA World Cup 2026, after 2-1 loss against Norway in Round of 16 at Metlife Stadium.
The announcement ends Neymar’s 16-year career as the nation’s all-time leading scorer, with 80 goals in 130 appearances, in the same league amongst greats like Pele, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho. Neymar’s final appearance for Brazil came as a substitute at MetLife Stadium—the very same venue as his 2010 debut against USA and scored his first international goal for Brazil. The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star scored a penalty against Norway, though it could not prevent Brazil from crashing out of the tournament.
Neymar, whose career has been hampered by injuries. Despite being not fully fit due to calf injury, he was included in the Brazil squad.He missed the first two games against Morocco and Haiti before coming off the bench against Scotland in the last 14 minutes. Again he remained on bench in Round of 32 clash against Japan. In the clash against Norway, he came in 66th minute, in what later proved to be his final appearance for Brazil.
Visuals of him crying relentlessly after the final whistle broke fans’ hearts. Several of his Brazil teammates tried to comfort him, but the former Barcelona man was left utterly shattered.
“I tried, I tried. Now it’s over,” he told Globo after the game. “I started here; I finished here.” While his time with the Selecao is over, Neymar continues his club career with Santos FC, evaluating his future season by season.
For Brazil, he won Fifa Confederations Cup (2013), receiving Golden Ball award, and achieved Gold and Silver Medals in Summer Olympics 2016 and 2012 respectively for Brazil U23. He also won South American U20 championship (2011) for Brazil U20. But the World Cup crowned will remain absent in his crown forever.
The defeat against Norway marks Brazil’s horrendous run against European opponents in the World Cups. The 5-time champions haven’t beaten European opponents since beating Germany in the final of 2002. Despite the setback, coach Carlo Ancelotti said Sunday’s painful World Cup last-16 exit should be used as “fuel” for the future as he insisted their disappointing tournament is “the start of a new cycle”.
“Obviously everyone is deeply disappointed, considering what happened. I don’t think we have had a spectacular World Cup, but we had a good one. I think we even deserved to win the game today,” Ancelotti said after the 2-1 loss at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
For Norway, it was Haaland who scored two late goals in a match which hinged on an early penalty by Brazil’s Bruno Guimaraes, which was saved. Neymar’s successful spot-kick in injury time could only prove to be a consolation. It was also his final moment in the Brazil shirt as a player.
“You have to digest a defeat like this. This has been a new adventure. Now we need to keep earning our places, keep trying to improve,” added Ancelotti, who was appointed just over a year ago and charged with the task of winning Brazil a record-extending sixth World Cup.
Ancelotti has a contract through to the next World Cup in 2030, and ruled out the possibility of stepping down after Brazil’s early exit from the tournament.
“I don’t think this is the end. I think this is the start of a new cycle,” he insisted. “I think with the squad they have, Brazil could have competed right to the end of this World Cup, even considering what happened in today’s game.”
Brazil’s wait for their 6th World Cup title will now stretch beyond a quarter of a century, with their last title coming in Japan in 2002.
