Neymar retires from Brazil national team after World Cup exit

Neymar has bid farewell to the Brazilian national team, stating, "I tried, I tried... it's over now." The emotional declaration came after Brazil's disappointing 2-1 defeat to Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which saw the team eliminated from the tournament.

The 34-year-old forward scored Brazil's sole goal from a penalty in the dying minutes of the match. This goal, however, was not enough to secure victory. Neymar's departure marks the end of an era for the Seleção, as he leaves behind a decorated but ultimately incomplete international career.

His final World Cup appearance saw him achieve a personal milestone, becoming the second Brazilian player, after the legendary Pele, to score in four different World Cup tournaments. Despite this individual success, the team's performance was a significant low point, marking Brazil's worst World Cup showing since 1990.

Neymar also joins Thiago Silva as one of the few Brazilian players to have participated in four World Cups without lifting the coveted trophy. While he did win the 2013 Confederations Cup and a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics with Brazil, the World Cup title remained elusive throughout his international tenure.

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I tried, I tried... it's over now. I started here, I leave here.