Overview
- Neymar made his retirement definitive on Wednesday after Santos’ 4-2 Copa Sudamericana win over Universidad Central, repeating that he no longer wants to play for the Seleção.
- He leaves international football as Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 80 goals in 130 appearances and his final Brazil goal was a stoppage-time penalty in the 2-1 World Cup loss to Norway on July 5.
- The forward publicly denied recent reports that he insulted or bullied younger Santos teammates, saying his post-match criticism was a call for higher standards and was misrepresented by sections of the media.
- Neymar will focus on club football at Santos, who have progressed in the Copa Sudamericana, and reports say his contract runs until the end of 2026 with no confirmed renewal.
- His exit ends a 16-year international chapter that included four World Cups, the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2016 Olympic gold medal, and it hands Brazil a clear opening to rebuild its squad for the next cycle.