Neymar reiterates Brazil retirement: 'I don't think I want it anymore'

[p]The ‌34-year-old forward, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a]'s all-time leading scorer, made ‌the comments after [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/santos/n3QdnjFB/"]Santos[/a] beat Venezuela's Universidad ‌Central [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/santos-n3QdnjFB/universidad-central-bFkqB6I0/?mid=Qex0uuMi"]4-2 in a Copa Sudamericana match[/a] late on Tuesday.[/p][p][b]"I think my time with the national ‌team has already passed. I made ⁠history there, and ‌I'm very happy about it. I experienced a ​lot there, gave my blood and my life, and always fought and ​battled for the yellow jersey. But I don't think I want it anymore,"[/b] he told ⁠reporters.[/p][p]The remarks ​reinforced comments he made in the immediate aftermath of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/brazil-I9l9aqLq/norway-8rP6JO0H/?mid=tpOhKWcC"]Brazil's 2-1 World Cup defeat by Norway[/a] on July 5th.[/p][p]After coming on as a ‌substitute and scoring a stoppage-time penalty, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/neymar/jNOPwl3h/"]Neymar[/a] suggested his international career was over during an interview with Brazilian broadcaster [i]ge[/i].[/p][image alt="Brazil's Neymar and Raphinha look dejected after Brazil are eliminated from the World Cup" id="b9a8d6e2-7259-4b65-9f0c-d7285e049829" credit-line="IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters / James Lang" guid="dec09140-18b4-4330-9881-d2ce8d4b2577" original-width="2300" original-height="1563" /][p][b]"I tried, I tried. Now it's over," [/b]he said.[/p][p]Neymar was visibly emotional after the defeat, which marked Brazil's earliest World Cup exit since 1990 and extended the five-times champions' wait ‌for a record-extending sixth title.[/p][p]The forward, who played ​in four World Cups, enjoyed a ‌glittering club career with Santos, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/barcelona/SKbpVP5K/"]Barcelona[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/psg/CjhkPw0k/"]PSG[/a], but won only one senior title with the national team, the Confederations Cup in 2013.[/p][p]His international career ⁠yielded 80 goals ⁠and 58 assists ‌in 130 appearances.[/p][image alt="Neymar's recent player ratings" id="cd5f99cd-68db-4934-91c1-cecc913a4a96" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="b4e04000-dfe0-4589-a32c-575aeae3dae6" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /]