Brazilian football star Neymar has announced his retirement from international football, bringing an end to a glittering 16-year career with the Selecao following Brazil's exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The 34-year-old Santos forward confirmed his decision after his club's 4-2 victory over Universidad Central in the Copa Sudamericana knockout-round playoff, ending months of speculation about his future with the national team.
Speaking after the match, Neymar said his journey with Brazil had come to an end.
"My time with the national team is over. 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."
Neymar's final appearance for Brazil came in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup against Norway. He scored a stoppage-time penalty, but Brazil still suffered a 2-1 defeat, ending their bid for a sixth World Cup title.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward retires as Brazil's all-time leading men's goalscorer with 80 international goals, surpassing Pelé's previous record of 77.
Since making his senior debut in 2010, Neymar represented Brazil at four FIFA World Cups, several Copa América tournaments, the FIFA Confederations Cup and the Olympic Games. He played a key role in Brazil's 2013 Confederations Cup triumph and captained the team to its first Olympic men's football gold medal at the Rio 2016 Games.
His international career was also marked by a series of injury setbacks, particularly at World Cups. A calf injury ruled him out of Brazil's opening two matches at the 2026 tournament before he returned as a substitute in the final group-stage game against Scotland and again in the last-16 defeat to Norway.
Neymar's retirement closes one of the most successful international careers in Brazilian football history and marks the beginning of a new era for the five-time world champions.
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