Lagos, Nigeria – Neymar Jr. announced his retirement from international football on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, following the elimination of Brazil from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Okay News reports that the 34-year-old Santos forward confirmed his decision to reporters after a 4-2 victory over Universidad Central in the second leg of the Copa Sudamericana knockout round playoffs.
“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,” he said.
His final appearance for the national team occurred in the Round of 16 against Norway, where he scored a stoppage-time penalty during a match that ended in a 2-1 defeat.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain player finishes his international career as the all-time leading men’s goalscorer for his country with 80 goals, surpassing the previous record of 77 goals held by Pelé.
He made his senior debut in 2010 and won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup and a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
