Neymar Announces Brazil Retirement After 2026 World Cup Upset vs. Norway

Brazilian legend Neymar appeared to announce his retirement from international football on Sunday after his country's 2-1 loss against Norway in the Round of 16 at the World Cup.

"I tried, I tried. Now it's over," he told reporters. "I started here, I finished here."

If Sunday's match was indeed his final showing for Brazil, it ended at MetLife Stadium, the same venue where he made his international debut and scored his first goal in 2010.

The 34-year-old made three appearances for Brazil at this year's World Cup, registering a goal on a late penalty kick Sunday and three total shots on goal.

It concluded an epic international career for Brazil that included 80 goals, the most in Brazil's history (three ahead of the legendary Pelé). He scored in four separate World Cups and made 130 appearances for his country, second only to Cafu (142).

While Neymar appeared to make his tearful goodbye on Sunday, manager Carlo Ancelotti indicated that he would like to remain at the helm.

"What I say is that we continue to do our jobs and look for new ideas," he told reporters. "It's the same thing we did this year. It is an experience on my side, it is a very disappointing result and all of us are really saddened. But this was a great group and I have to thank my players, they worked really hard. I don't think we deserved to lose, but we have to accept it. That is football for you, that is sports. Sometimes you have to manage the sadness and bitter taste of a defeat. I am very used to that, but we are going to take this defeat and use it as fuel for the new cycle. Everyone is profoundly sad, as the fans are. This is normal to have those feelings, but what we have to do is react correctly."

Whether Brazil sticks with Ancelotti, a legend in his own right, remains to be seen after this year's disappointing showing at the World Cup. Expectations are far higher than a Round of 16 exit for the five-time World Cup winners.

Neymar's inability to lead Brazil to a sixth won't define his international résumé, but it's certainly a milestone he hoped to achieve.