Neymar retires from international football after 16 years with Brazil

Brazil's all-time top scorer Neymar has officially announced his retirement from international football after 16 years. Speaking after Santos' Copa Sudamericana win, the 34-year-old confirmed he is stepping away from the national team to focus entirely on club football

Santos: Brazil’s all-time leading scorer Neymar has officially confirmed his retirement from international football, bringing the curtain down on a career that spanned more than 16 years with the national team.

The 34-year-old gave an update on the decision after Santos secured a 4-2 victory over Venezuela’s Universidad Central in the Copa Sudamericana, ending speculation over his international future following Brazil’s exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

---

Brazil’s campaign ended in the Round of 16 after a defeat to Norway, with Neymar making what turned out to be his final appearance for the five-time world champions. The veteran forward said he leaves the national team with no regrets, insisting he had always given everything while representing his country.

“My time with the national team is over. I made history, I was very happy, I gave my blood, my life, I always fought for the yellow jersey, but now I don’t want to anymore,” Neymar said after the match as quoted by Goal.com

The announcement marks the end of one of the most decorated international careers in Brazilian football. Neymar finishes as Brazil’s all-time leading goalscorer and represented the country in multiple FIFA World Cups, Copa America tournaments and Olympic competitions.

Attention has now shifted fully to his club career with Santos, where he also addressed recent reports claiming he had criticised and intimidated younger teammates in the dressing room following a league match.

The former Brazil captain dismissed those reports, saying his comments after the game were aimed only at demanding higher standards from the team.

“It is sad and annoying, but it is not my fault. These stories reach a lot of people,” Neymar said.

“I spoke after the match, demanded better, and said we could not afford to be so careless. You cannot give away a draw like that. As captain, I have every right to say that. Lucas Verissimo and Gabigol also spoke to the players,” he added.

Despite the off-field speculation, Neymar played his part in Santos’ 4-2 win over Universidad Central, helping the Brazilian club advance to the Round of 16 of the Copa Sudamericana, where they will face Ecuadorian side Macara.