Erling Haaland shattered Brazil’s World Cup dreams, and in the devastating aftermath, Neymar walked away. The 34-year-old forward officially announced his retirement from international football on Sunday following Brazil’s shocking 2-1 defeat to Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16. Haaland netted a late brace—including a lethal 89th-minute winner—before Neymar buried a 90th-minute penalty that ultimately wasn’t enough to save the Seleção.
The reality hit the pitch immediately. A tearful Neymar didn’t wait for a press conference to drop the news. Speaking directly to geTV on the sideline just moments after the final whistle, he confirmed the decision. “I tried, I tried,” the forward said, according to a Hindustan Times report. “I started here at MetLife and finished here. Now it’s all over.”
That venue connection is a bitter twist of fate. Sixteen years ago, an 18-year-old Neymar made his senior debut for Brazil in the exact same New Jersey stadium against the United States. He returned to MetLife this weekend hoping to keep a final run alive, only to have the journey come full circle in the worst way possible, a cruel symmetry verified by beIN Sports.
His departure closes the book on a generation heavily burdened by the expectation of delivering a sixth World Cup. But the individual numbers remain untouchable. Neymar leaves the national setup as Brazil’s undisputed all-time leading scorer. He tallied 80 goals across 129 appearances over his 16-year career, surpassing Pelé’s legendary benchmark to secure his place in the history books.