Neymar

Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior is Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 international goals, surpassing Pelé's record in November 2023. Born on 5 February 1992, he is 34 years old in 2026. A forward of exceptional dribbling ability and direct-free-kick technique, his career ran from Santos (2009-2013) to Barcelona (2013-2017) to Paris Saint-Germain via a then world-record €222 million transfer in 2017, and then to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia in 2023. The PSG years brought domestic dominance but not the Champions League title that would have completed his legacy alongside Messi and Ronaldo. At Al-Hilal, a torn ACL against Uruguay in October 2023 ended his season almost immediately after arrival and kept him out of the national side for 31 months.

Neymar's Brazil career ended on 5 July 2026, minutes after Norway beat Brazil 2-1 at MetLife Stadium to end the tournament in the round of 16, Erling Haaland scoring both goals. Neymar came off the bench and converted a stoppage-time consolation penalty, his last touch in a Brazil shirt, before announcing his immediate retirement from international football on the same pitch where he made his Brazil debut in 2010: "It started here, at MetLife Stadium, and I finished here. It is now over." Raphinha and Vinicius Junior consoled him as he wept; captain Marquinhos asked for patience with Brazil's new generation as Carlo Ancelotti now faces a rebuild.

Neymar had returned to the squad on 18 May after 31 months out following his October 2023 ACL injury , then missed the entire group stage with a grade-2 calf strain before making his tournament comeback as a 76th-minute substitute against Scotland on 24 June. He played only two of Brazil's five matches at the tournament, closing out a fourth World Cup, after 2010, 2014 and 2018, without ever lifting the trophy.