"My time with the national team is over," Neymar explicitly stated when questioned about his future following Santos' 4-2 victory over Universidad Central.
"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."
The decision marks the end of an era for Brazilian football, as their all-time leading goalscorer pivots his focus entirely to club football with his boyhood side.
This final confirmation followed a deeply emotional scene at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where a visibly distraught Neymar was left in tears on the pitch after Brazil's World Cup exit.
Despite scoring a penalty in the dying seconds of the match, the former Barcelona icon was inconsolable as his 16-year international journey came to a heartbreaking close.
"My time with the national team is over," Neymar explicitly stated when questioned about his future following Santos' 4-2 victory over Universidad Central. "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." The decision marks the end of an era for Brazilian football, as their all-time leading goalscorer pivots his focus entirely to club football with his boyhood side.
This final confirmation followed a deeply emotional scene at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where a visibly distraught Neymar was left in tears on the pitch after Brazil's World Cup exit. Despite scoring a penalty in the dying seconds of the match, the former Barcelona icon was inconsolable as his 16-year international journey came to a heartbreaking close.
