NeymarThe Brazilian’s international career came to an emotional end on Sunday as the Brazilian icon confirmed that he had played his last match for the national team following Brazil’s 2-1 defeat in Norway. 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 Brazilian shirt. 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 have a special meaning. Neymar made his debut in Brazil on August 10, 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 ground where his journey had begun. Limited by a nagging 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 strike had stunned the five-time world champions. The goal, however, proved to be only a consolation as Brazil’s hopes of a dramatic comeback faded with the final whistle. Neymar is leaving the international scene after carrying Brazil’s expectations for more than a decade. His World Cup story has been one of extraordinary talent mixed with repeated heart, from the injury that ruled him out of the final stage in 2014 to the disappointment of the quarter-finals in 2018, the agony of penalties in 2022 and now an early exit in 2026. With Neymar stepping aside, Brazil now turn the page on a new era. Captain Marquinhos has urged supporters 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.