Neymar:An international career came to an emotional end on Sunday as the Brazilian icon confirmed that he had played his last game for the national team following Brazil’s heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Norway in FIFA World Cup 16th round. The 34-year-old was overcome with emotion after the final whistle at the New York New Jersey Stadium, crying as television cameras covered his face in his Brazil 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 MetLife Stadium, and I finished here. It’s over,” Neymar said after the match. “I tried.” His words had a special meaning. Neymar made his Brazil debut 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 is impossible to ignore as one of football’s brightest stars bid farewell to the same ground where his journey began. Limited by a persistent right calf injury throughout the tournament, Neymar took part in only two of Brazil’s five World Cup matches and made a brief 15-minute appearance against Scotland in 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 brace stunned the five-time world champions. The goal, however, proved to be a mere consolation as Brazil’s hopes of a dramatic comeback vanished at the final whistle. Neymar left the international stage having carried Brazil’s expectations for more than a decade. His World Cup story is one of extraordinary talent mixed with repeated sadness, from the injury that prevented him from finishing the stages in 2014 to the quarter-final disappointment in 2018, penalty shootout pain in 2022 and now an early knockout exit in 2026. With Neymar gone, Brazil is now turning the page on a new era. Captain Marquinhos has urged supporters to rally behind the next generation, saying the young squad needs time and patience as it looks to rebuild after another painful World Cup campaign.