Neymar announces international retirement after Brazil’s World Cup loss to Norway | OneFootball

Neymar announced his international retirement after Brazil were beaten 1-2 by Norway in the World Cup last 16. The Santos forward said, "J'ai essayé, j'ai essayé. Mais c'est maintenant terminé", speaking to TV Globo.

Introduced late, he offered flashes of threat, including a driving run in the 83rd minute. He converted a penalty at 90+10 to reduce the deficit, then taunted goalkeeper Orjan Nyland and shoulder-barged Martin Ödegaard instead of racing the ball back to halfway.

A calf problem ruled him out of Brazil’s first two matches. His return against Scotland was low key with the game already well in hand, and he remained on the bench against Japan in the round of 32, before featuring again against Norway.

Neymar leaves as Brazil’s record scorer with 80 goals in 130 caps, ahead of Pelé on 77 and Ronaldo on 62. His journey with the national team began at the MetLife Stadium in May 2010, when, aged 18, he scored on debut against the United States.

The ending echoed previous World Cup heartbreaks, after exits to Belgium in 2018’s quarter-final, 1-2, and to Croatia in 2022 at the same stage, 1-1 and 4-2 on penalties. Debate over whether Carlo Ancelotti would select him, amid recurring injuries that saw him miss Brazil’s Copa America triumphs in 2019 and 2021, gave way to a recall, then doubts over fitness. He departs without a senior title for Brazil, aside from Rio 2016 Olympic gold.

Source: L'Équipe