Soccer
Neymar has announced his retirement from international football following Brazil’s exit from the World Cup.
Erling Haaland’s brace was enough to send Norway through to the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the first time, as they beat Brazil 2-1.
Neymar did score from the spot in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time to give Brazil a late consolation, but that will be his last involvement for the Selecao.
He became only the second Brazil player to score at four different World Cups (2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026) after Pele.
Neymar, who came on to a raucous reception from the crowd, retires as Brazil’s all-time leading scorer, having netted 80 goals, while only Cafu (142) made more appearances for the nation than him (130).
The 34-year-old had struggled with injury in the build-up to the World Cup and managed just two substitute appearances – also coming on against Scotland in their final group game – but he is now calling time on his international career.
“I tried; I tried. Now it’s over,” Neymar, who made his debut against the United States in 2010, told Globo. “I started here; I finished here.”
Brazil saw a first-half penalty saved, with Bruno Guimaraes’ first spot-kick for his country being kept out by Orjan Nyland. Endrick also came off the bench to miss a glorious one-on-one chance.
This does mark the earliest Brazil have been eliminated from a World Cup since 1990, when they were knocked out by Argentina in the round of 16 – they had reached at least the quarter-final in each of their last eight editions of the tournament.
A história da Seleção Brasileira é feita de grandes conquistas, mas também de momentos que fortalecem nosso caminho.
Hoje nos despedimos da Copa do Mundo, certos de que voltaremos ainda mais fortes.
Obrigado, torcida brasileira. pic.twitter.com/2sBMameewE
— brasil (@CBF_Futebol) July 5, 2026
Norway remain the only team that Brazil have ever faced and failed to beat, with this being the fifth meeting between the two nations (three wins for Norway, two draws).
“Obviously, everyone is deeply disappointed, considering what happened,” Ancelotti said.
“I don’t think we have had a spectacular World Cup, but we had a good one. I think we even deserved to win the game.
“You have to digest a defeat like this. This has been a new adventure. Now we need to keep earning our places, keep trying to improve.
“What I can say, what we can do and what we are going to do, is keep working hard for the national team, keep trying to improve and find new ideas.
“I think we have done a good job, but this is football, and this is sport. You just have to deal with it, deal with the sadness and the taste of defeat.
“I am very much used to this, and we will handle this. We will use it as fuel going forward.”
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