Brazil forward Neymar Jr has announced his retirement from international football, just over three weeks after Brazil's campaign ended at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the Round of 16.
The announcement comes amid recent speculation that the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star could make a comeback in the national team XI. However, Neymar has now put those rumours to rest, confirming that his journey with Brazil has come to an end.
"My time with the national team is over," Neymar told reporters after Santos secured a 4-2 victory over Universidad Central in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana knockout round playoffs.
"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," the 34-year-old added.
This brings the curtain down on one of the most influential international careers in the country's football history.
He made his international debut in 2010, and after that, Neymar became the face of Brazilian football and carried the expectations of millions of fans who were hoping to see the Selecao return to the top of world football.
Over more than 15 years, he represented Brazil at three FIFA World Cups before the 2026 edition and featured in several major tournaments, including the Copa America, FIFA Confederations Cup and the Olympics.
Neymar played a crucial role in Brazil's success at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and later guided the team to Olympic glory at the 2016 Rio Games. As captain, he helped Brazil win their first-ever Olympic gold medal in men's football, ending a long wait for the country.
One of the biggest milestones of Neymar's international career came when he surpassed Brazilian legend Pele to become the country's all-time leading men's goalscorer. He finishes his Brazil career with 80 goals, three more than Pele's tally of 77.
Neymar's record-breaking achievement places him at the top of an elite list of Brazilian football legends.
Here are Brazil's all-time leading men's goalscorers:
Neymar's World Cup Journey
However, the FIFA World Cup title remained the missing piece in Neymar's international career. Injuries disrupted his campaigns in 2014, 2018 and 2022, while Brazil's hopes of winning a record sixth World Cup ended in disappointment once again in 2026.
Neymar's World Cup journey was filled with memorable moments as well as heartbreak. In the 2014 FIFA World Cup on home soil, he emerged as Brazil's biggest attacking threat, scoring four goals before a back injury ruled him out of the semi-final. His absence was deeply felt as Brazil suffered a historic 7-1 defeat against Germany.
At the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Neymar returned from injury and found the net twice, but Brazil's campaign came to an end in the quarter-finals after a 2-1 defeat to Belgium.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup also brought disappointment for the forward. After missing Brazil's final group-stage game due to injury, Neymar returned in the knockout stages and scored a sensational solo goal in the quarter-final against Croatia. However, Brazil were eliminated on penalties, bringing another frustrating World Cup campaign to an end.
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Neymar also missed Brazil's opening two group-stage matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after suffering a Grade 2 right calf muscle injury while playing for Santos in May. He returned as a second-half substitute in Brazil's final group-stage match against Scotland.
The forward was again introduced from the bench during Brazil's round-of-16 clash against Norway, where he scored a late consolation penalty in stoppage time. However, Brazil's campaign ended after a 1-2 defeat to Erling Haaland's Norway.
With Neymar now stepping away from international football, Brazil will look towards a new generation of players to lead the team forward. His retirement marks the end of an era for the Selecao, as one of the country's modern-day greats bids farewell to the famous yellow jersey.
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