Brazil is out of the FIFA World Cup 2026 after losing 2-1 to Norway. Immediately after this defeat, veteran player Neymar Jr. announced his retirement from international football. Neymar is the highest goalscorer for Brazil.
Brazilian legend Neymar Jr. has announced his retirement from international football. The five-time world champion team suffered a shocking 2-1 defeat at the hands of Norway in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at the MetLife Stadium on Sunday. He finished his international career as the all-time top scorer for Brazil.
The 34-year-old forward ended his international career just moments after Brazil’s hopes of a sixth World Cup title were dashed. Two goals from Norway’s Erling Haaland knocked Brazil out of the tournament, while Neymar’s stoppage-time penalty goal proved to be a consolation.
Neymar ended his journey
At the end of his journey with the national team, Neymar told reporters on ESPN UK, “I tried, I tried. Now it’s over. I started here; I finished here.”
Neymar’s penalty goal, which came in the 10th minute of extra time after Leo Ostigaard committed a foul on Casemiro, was his first of the tournament. This brought his international goal tally to 80 goals and 59 assists in 130 matches for Brazil, solidifying his record as the country’s all-time top scorer. His retirement brings to an end one of the most illustrious international careers in Brazilian football. During his time with the Selecao, Neymar helped the country win the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013 and an Olympic gold medal on home soil at the Rio 2016 Games.
Brazil vs Norway: The thrill of the match
The veteran forward’s participation in the World Cup remained uncertain until the final stages of team selection due to fitness concerns. However, head coach Carlo Ancelotti included him in Brazil’s 26-man squad in the hope that his experience would carry the team further into the tournament. Instead, Brazil’s campaign ended in dramatic fashion.
Norway reached the knockout stage with increasing confidence and withstood constant pressure from Brazil and then in the 79th minute, Holland broke the deadlock with a brilliant header from Andreas Schjelderup’s cross.
Moments later, the Manchester City striker scored his second goal of the night to seal a memorable victory, putting Norway ahead 2–0. With this goal, he became equal with Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the race for the Golden Boot with seven goals.
Neymar reduced the margin of defeat with a goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time, but Brazil were unable to mount a comeback and Norway booked their place in the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in history.
For Brazil, the defeat was its seventh consecutive World Cup knockout defeat against European teams and its earliest exit from the World Cup since 1990, while Neymar’s emotional departure brought the curtain down on an era that defined Brazilian football for more than a decade.
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