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A bittersweet goodbye
Brazil’s exit from the 2026 World Cup turned into one of the most brutal nights of Neymar’s career after the Seleção captain bid farewell to the tournament and the national team together.
After the final whistle, the Brazilian star could not hold back his tears before deciding his international future, announcing his retirement from playing for his country’s national team, ending a years-long journey that has seen him wear the Brazilian shirt at the most prestigious international forums.
And he announced Neymar retires from international football After Brazil’s national team was eliminated from the 2026 World Cup following a shock loss to the Norwegian national team in the Round of 16 on Sunday night.
Neymar said after the game. “I tried… I tried. Started here at MetLife Stadium and finished my career here. It’s over now.”
Brazil coach Italian Carlo Ancelotti brought Neymar back to the Seleção after a three-year absence, giving the latter the chance to achieve his biggest dream of winning the World Cup for Brazil.
But the dream ended agonizingly after Norway’s Erling Haaland led his country to a historic victory over Brazil, scoring both goals in the game, sending Norway into the quarter-finals and knocking the world’s most World Cup-winning team out of the tournament, with five titles.
During his international career, Neymar made 129 appearances for Brazil and featured in two matches during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers before scoring his last goal from the penalty spot in the dying minutes against Norway, a goal that was not enough to exit the tournament.
After the final whistle, Neymar began to cry intensely in a scene that epitomized the extent of the disappointment he felt after losing his dream of winning the World Cup for the last time in his career.
It came minutes after he clashed with Norway goalkeeper Oren Nyland when he celebrated provocatively after winning a penalty in front of him, before the atmosphere changed completely with the announcement of Brazil’s departure and Neymar’s decision to bring the curtain down on his international career.
