Courtesy: Dawn News/Reuters
Brazilian star footballer Neymar Jr. suggested he may have played his final match for Brazil after scoring in their defeat by Norway in the World Cup round of 16 on Sunday.
The forward converted a stoppage-time penalty in Brazil’s 2-1 loss, a result that eliminated the five-times champions and extended their wait for a sixth World Cup title.
Speaking briefly after the match to Bruno Formiga, a pundit for Brazilian channel GE TV, Neymar indicated that his tenure with Brazil had come to an end.
“I tried, I tried… Now it’s over! I started here, I finished here,” Neymar said, referring to the stadium in New Jersey, where he made his Brazil debut in a friendly against the United States in 2010.
The 34-year-old was moved to tears after the match. It was the national team’s worst World Cup performance since 1990.
Brazil are now heading towards their longest spell without a World Cup title since they first won the tournament. By 2030, they will have gone 28 years without lifting the trophy.
If Neymar Jr. confirms his international retirement, he will end his Brazil career with 80 goals and 58 assists in 130 appearances.
Neymar has won multiple titles at club level but his only senior trophy with Brazil was the 2013 Confederations Cup.