Neymar bids farewell to the Brazil national team after the 2026 World Cup

China’s Xinhua News Agency quoted the 34-year-old player as saying: “It begins here, at MetLife Stadium, and it ends here as well. Everything has come to a close.”

Neymar first wore the Brazil national team jersey on August 10, 2010, in a friendly match against the United States at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

In the match against Norway on July 5, he scored a consolation goal from the penalty spot in added time, after being substituted on around the middle of the second half.

Due to a persistent right calf injury, Neymar only came off the bench in two of Brazil’s five matches in the tournament.

Neymar is the all-time leading scorer for the Brazilian men's national football team with 80 goals in 130 appearances.

In the national team jersey, he won an Olympic gold medal in 2016, an Olympic silver medal in 2012, finished as runner-up in the 2021 Copa America, and won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.

The 2026 World Cup marked his first return to the Brazil national team since October 2023.