Brazil forward Neymar Jr. announces his retirement from international football, ending a 16-year spell with the Brazil men’s national team (the Seleção). The decision follows Brazil’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which sources describe as the point at which he steps away from international competition. Neymar, now 34, says in comments to reporters that “my time with the national team is over,” adding that while he is proud of what he achieved wearing the yellow jersey, he no longer wants to continue at that level. Reports state he makes the announcement while speaking after Santos played Universidad Central in Copa Sudamericana playoffs, a match in which he is credited with scoring and which ends with a 4-2 victory for his club.
Across the accounts, Neymar is presented as Brazil’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer, finishing with 80 international goals, and as a major figure in multiple major tournaments, including World Cups, Copa América, the 2013 Confederations Cup, and the 2016 Olympics. Sources also mention that injuries disrupted parts of his international career. One outlet also notes he addresses and denies recent allegations about criticism or bullying of younger teammates.
