Neymar gave an emotional farewell to the Brazilian national team after the defeat at the World Cup | Football news

Brazilian Neymar (10) reacts (AP Photo)

NeymarAn international career came to an emotional end on Sunday when the Brazilian icon confirmed he had played his final game for the national team following Brazil’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat by Norway in FIFA World Cup Round of 16. The 34-year-old was overcome with emotion after the final whistle at the New York New Jersey Stadium, breaking down in tears as television cameras caught him covering his face with his Brazil jersey. The painful scenes marked the end of a journey that lasted more than 16 years and saw Neymar become one of the greatest players in the history of Brazilian football. “It started here at the MetLife Stadium and I finished here. Now it’s over,” Neymar said after the match. – I tried. His words had a special meaning. Neymar made his debut for Brazil on 10 August 2010 in a friendly against the United States at the same stadium in New Jersey where his international career ended. The symmetry was impossible to ignore as one of football’s brightest stars said goodbye on the same field where he began his journey. Limited by a persistent right calf injury throughout the tournament, Neymar featured in just two of Brazil’s five World Cup games and made a brief 15-minute appearance against Scotland during the group stage. He came off the bench against Norway and converted a late penalty in stoppage time to reduce the deficit after Erling Haaland’s goal surprised the five-time world champions. However, the goal proved to be only a consolation as Brazil’s hopes of a dramatic comeback faded at the final whistle. Neymar is leaving the international stage after more than a decade of fulfilling Brazil’s expectations. His World Cup story has been one of prodigious talent mixed with repeated heartbreak, from the injury that ruled him out of the closing stages in 2014 to the disappointment of the quarter-finals in 2018, the agony on penalties in 2022 and now the early exit from the 2026 knockouts. With Neymar’s retirement, Brazil now turn the page to a new era. Captain Marquinhos urged fans to rally behind the next generation, saying the young side will need time and patience as they look to rebuild after another painful World Cup campaign.