NeymarThe father-of-one has made an emotional appeal to his son following the Brazilian forward’s decision to retire from international football after the Selecao’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign came to a heartbreaking end.After the elimination of the 16 of Brazil, Neymar Pai took to social media with a sincere message, urging his son not to get away from the game to which he dedicated his life.“I want to ask a question as a father. Son, keep playing football.” Neymar’s father wrote.The emotional post came shortly after Neymar confirmed his international career was over following Brazil’s 2-1 defeat by Norway at the MetLife Stadium.The five-time world champions saw their hopes of lifting a sixth World Cup title as Erling Haaland struck twice, with Neymar’s stoppage-time penalty serving only as a consolation.Moments after the defeat, the 34-year-old announced that he had played his final match for Brazil.“I tried, I tried. Now it’s over. I started here; I finished here,” Neymar told reporters.Although Brazil’s campaign ended in disappointment, Neymar went down as the country’s all-time leading goalscorer.His late penalty, awarded after Leo Østigård was penalized for bringing down Casemiro in added time, was his first goal of the tournament. He also took his international record to 80 goals and 59 assists in 130 appearances for Brazil.In a brilliant international career spanning more than a decade, Neymar helped Brazil win the FIFA Confederations Cup in 2013 and captained the nation to Olympic gold on home soil at the 2016 Rio Games.His place in Brazil’s World Cup squad was uncertain until the final stages of selection due to ongoing fitness issues. However, coach Carlo Ancelotti opted to include the experienced forward in his 26-man squad, hoping Neymar could inspire another deep run at football’s biggest tournament.Instead, Brazil’s campaign ended earlier than expected.Norway soaked up sustained Brazilian pressure before Haaland broke the deadlock in the 79th minute, rising highest to head home Andreas Schjelderup’s cross. Brazil found a late response to Neymar’s penalty, but it wasn’t enough to prevent elimination.The defeat also extended Brazil’s difficult recent World Cup record, marking a seventh straight defeat in the knockout stages against European opposition and their first exit from the tournament since 1990.While Neymar’s international chapter is now closed, his father’s emotional request made it clear that he hopes his son will continue to play club football.
