Neymar hints at Brazil retirement after World Cup exit

Published 06 Jul, 2026 10:38am 1 min read
Brazil's Neymar and Raphinha look dejected after the match as Brazil are eliminated from the World Cup. -- Reuters
Brazil's Neymar and Raphinha look dejected after the match as Brazil are eliminated from the World Cup. -- Reuters
Brazil's Neymar in action. -- Reuters
Brazil's Neymar in action. -- Reuters
Brazil's Neymar Jr. looks dejected after the match as Brazil are eliminated from the World Cup. -- Reuters
Brazil's Neymar Jr. looks dejected after the match as Brazil are eliminated from the World Cup. -- Reuters

Neymar suggested he may have played his final match for Brazil ​after scoring in their defeat by Norway in ‌the World Cup round of 16 on Sunday.

The forward converted a stoppage-time penalty in Brazil’s 2-1 loss, a result that eliminated ​the five-time champions and extended their wait for ​a sixth World Cup title.

Speaking briefly after ⁠the match to Bruno Formiga, a pundit for Brazilian ​channel GE TV, Neymar indicated that his tenure with ​Brazil had come to an end.

“I tried, I tried … Now it’s over! I started here, I finished here,” Neymar said, ​referring to the stadium in New Jersey, where ​he made his Brazil debut in a friendly against the United ‌States in 2010.

The 34-year-old was moved to tears after the match.

It was the national team’s worst World Cup performance since 1990.

Brazil are now heading towards their ​longest spell without ​a World ⁠Cup title since they first won the tournament.

By 2030, they will have ​gone 28 years without lifting the trophy.

If ​Neymar ⁠confirms his international retirement, he will end his Brazil career with 80 goals and 58 assists in 130 ⁠appearances.

Neymar ​has won multiple titles at ​club level, but his only senior trophy with Brazil was the 2013 ​Confederations Cup.

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