"I don't want to anymore": Neymar firmly rules out the possibility of a return to the Brazilian national team.

While some, like his friend Lucas Moura, hope to see him return to the Brazilian national team, Neymar announced on Wednesday that he has no intention of wearing the Seleção jersey again. The 34-year-old star, who still plays for Santos, has announced his international retirement after the 2026 World Cup.

The outcome seems final this time. Neymar is unlikely to play for the Brazilian national team again before the end of his career. The 34-year-old star confirmed this after Santos' 4-2 victory over Universidad Central on Wednesday in the Copa Sudamericana playoffs. Coming on at halftime, the Seleção's all-time leading scorer (80 goals in 130 appearances) responded after the match to recent comments made by his friend Lucas Moura.

In an interview with "Esporte Record," the Santos winger admitted he still "hopes" to see Neymar play in the 2023 World Cup in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. This possibility has been dismissed by the former Barcelona and PSG star, who announced his international retirement after Brazil's elimination against Norway in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup (1-2).

"My moment of glory is over"

"I thank Lucas Moura, but it's not going to happen," the Santos number 10 said, in comments reported by UOL Esporte. "I think my moment of glory with the Brazilian national team is already over. I made history there and I'm very happy about that. I experienced a lot there. I gave my whole heart and my whole life to it, I always fought for the yellow jersey, but I think I don't want it anymore."

Plagued by injuries in recent seasons, Neymar had managed to convince Carlo Ancelotti to call him up for the 2026 World Cup in the Americas, after a long saga that kept Brazilians on tenterhooks. But the 1.75m star's form prevented him from shining in the competition. Sidelined with a calf injury early in the tournament, he was only able to make two brief appearances: first in the group stage victory against Scotland (3-0), and then in the elimination against Erling Haaland's Norway, scoring a consolation goal from the penalty spot in stoppage time. Presumably, that was his last goal for the national team.