Brazilian forward Neymar Jr has confirmed his retirement from international football, a little over three weeks after the Selecao’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Recently, there was speculation over a possible return of Neymar to the Brazilian national team, but the former Barcelona star has put all the rumours to bed once and for all.
“My time with the national team is over,” the current Santos player told reporters after his team’s 4-2 win over Universidad Central in the second leg of the knockout round playoffs of the Copa Sundamericana tournament.
“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.
Neymar Jr’s international career
Neymar leaves the Brazil national team as one of their greatest-ever players. Since making his senior debut in 2010, he became the face of Brazilian football for well over a decade, carrying the expectations of a nation desperate to reclaim its place at the top of world football.
During his international career, Neymar represented Brazil at three FIFA World Cups before the 2026 edition, as well as multiple Copa America tournaments, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Olympics.
He played a key role in Brazil’s triumph at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and captained the team to the men’s football gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, ending the country’s long wait for an Olympic title in the sport.
One of the defining achievements of Neymar’s international career came when he surpassed Pele to become Brazil’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer. He finishes with 80 goals for Brazil, three more than the number of goals Pele had scored (77 goals).
His remarkable consistency in front of goal, combined with his creativity and flair, made him one of the most influential players of his generation and one of the finest attackers Brazil has produced.
Despite his individual success, the FIFA World Cup title remained elusive. Injuries interrupted his campaigns in 2014, 2018 and 2022, while Brazil’s hopes of lifting a sixth World Cup also ended in disappointment in 2026. That latest exit ultimately proved to be Neymar’s final appearance on football’s biggest international stage.
Neymar even missed Brazil’s first couple of group stage matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to a grade 2 right calf muscle tear sustained while playing for Santos in May.
He came on as a second half substitute for the five-time champions in their last group stage match against Scotland.
Neymar once again came on as a substitute in the second half of the round of 16 clash against Norway, and scored a consolation penalty in stoppage time. Brazil, however, were knocked out of the tournament following a 1-2 loss to Erling Haaland’s Norway.
With Neymar stepping away, Brazil will enter a new era under a younger generation of players. His retirement marks the end of a significant chapter for the Selecao, as one of the country’s modern-day greats bids farewell after more than 15 years in the famous yellow shirt.
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