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As the final whistle sounded, Neymar Jr collapsed onto the pitch, buried his face in his hands, and wept.
It wasn't simply that Brazil had been knocked out of the 2026 World Cup, falling to Norway 2–1 in the round of 16 on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. More profoundly, it marked the definitive conclusion of the Brazilian icon's international journey.
Heading into this summer's tournament, the 34-year-old had genuinely believed his days representing his country were already behind him. He hadn't featured for the national side since 2023, having been repeatedly sidelined by a string of injuries.
Yet the whole nation erupted in celebration when he received an unexpected call-up from coach Carlo Ancelotti for the World Cup, with Neymar breaking down in joyful tears at the news and staging a remarkable comeback to the Seleção. No longer necessarily the on-field leader, he remained the emotional heartbeat that energized both the squad and its supporters. Star forward Vinicius Jr even handed him the legendary No. 10 shirt to wear.
Neymar's impact this summer was limited, having missed the opening two group stage matches through injury. He made a brief 14-minute substitute appearance in the 3–0 win over Scotland in the final group game before entering the Norway match in the 67th minute. He did finish on a high note, however, converting a stoppage-time penalty to push his all-time international goal tally to 80 and pull one back for Brazil.
The Brazilian star can now step away for good—following four World Cups and two Olympic campaigns—with his head held high, having beaten the odds simply by taking the field one last time.
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He made his Brazil debut 16 years ago in August 2010, in an international friendly against the USMNT, also held at MetLife Stadium. The teenager, just 18 years old at the time, started the game and netted his first goal for his country in a 2–0 victory. It brought his career full circle, as Neymar both began and ended his international chapter at MetLife Stadium, scoring in each occasion.
"I gave everything I had. It started here at MetLife Stadium, and I finished here. It is now over," he said through tears after the match.