By Enitan Abdultawab
Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. has officially announced his retirement from international football, ending a 16-year career with the Seleção following the country’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 34-year-old Santos forward made the announcement after his side’s 4-2 victory over Universidad Central in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana knockout round playoffs, putting an end to speculation that he could make a return to the national team.
“My time with the national team is over,” Neymar told reporters.
“I made history, I was very happy, I gave my blood, my life. I always fought for the yellow jersey, but now I don’t want to anymore.”
Neymar’s final appearance for Brazil came in the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he scored a stoppage-time penalty against Norway. However, the goal was only a consolation as Brazil suffered a 2-1 defeat, ending their quest for a sixth World Cup title.
Widely regarded as one of Brazil’s greatest footballers, Neymar made his senior debut in 2010 and went on to become the country’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer with 80 international goals, surpassing the legendary Pelé’s record of 77.
During his international career, he represented Brazil at four FIFA World Cups, several Copa América tournaments, the FIFA Confederations Cup, and the Olympic Games. He played a pivotal role in Brazil’s 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup triumph and captained the team to its first-ever Olympic men’s football gold medal at the Rio 2016 Games.
Injuries, however, repeatedly disrupted his World Cup ambitions. A grade two calf muscle injury suffered while playing for Santos sidelined him for Brazil’s opening two matches at the 2026 World Cup before he returned as a substitute in the final group-stage game against Scotland. He also came off the bench in the knockout defeat to Norway, scoring what would become the final goal of his international career.
Neymar’s retirement marks the end of an era for Brazilian football, with the five-time world champions now expected to usher in a new generation of players as they look ahead to future international competitions.
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