Neymar declared his international career "over" moments after Brazil fell 2-1 to Norway in the World Cup last 16. The 34-year-old entered as a 67th-minute substitute and converted a late penalty, but the goal served only as a consolation in a match that ended his 15-year tenure with the national team.

His journey came full circle at the same stadium where he debuted in August 2010, scoring in a 2-0 friendly win over the United States. Since then, Neymar amassed 80 goals to become Brazil's all-time leading scorer and collected 130 appearances, leaving him second only to Cafu (142) on the all-time caps list.

Injuries had sidelined him since 2023, making his selection for the 2026 World Cup squad a surprise. He featured only twice in the tournament — a late cameo in a 3-0 group-stage win over Scotland and the decisive loss to Norway — marking his fourth World Cup after 2014, 2018, and 2022.

Brazil now faces a generational transition without its talismanic forward. The team's attacking structure, long built around Neymar's creativity, must evolve quickly ahead of the next cycle, while the Brazilian federation confronts the reality of moving on from a player who carried the nation's hopes for over a decade.