Neymar rejects father’s suggestion of Brazil return after World Cup exit
Neymar Jr has dismissed his father’s suggestion that he might return to Brazil’s national team after announcing his international retirement following the 2026 World Cup. The 34-year-old striker came back to the Selecao after nearly three years away, coming off the bench in the 3-0 group stage win over Scotland and playing after halftime in the 2-1 round-of-16 loss to Norway. He scored a late penalty in that match, giving him 80 international goals—the most ever by a Brazilian player—and making him only the second Brazilian after Pele to score in four different World Cups. After the loss, an emotional Neymar confirmed his retirement from international play, but his father told transfer expert Fabrizio Romano that he could not guarantee Neymar was '100% done' with the Selecao and suggested a comeback might be possible. Neymar responded, 'It’s not my dad playing!'
For Nigerian football fans, Neymar’s international retirement marks the end of an era for one of the sport’s biggest stars, potentially shifting attention to his club performances and influencing how Brazil’s future attacking options are viewed in upcoming tournaments. Supporters may choose to follow his club career for updates and consider how Brazil’s attack might evolve without him in future competitions.