Neymar’s World Cup Record With Brazil

With three gravelly-spoken words of a stoic Italian, Brazil rejoiced.

"Neymar Júnior, Santos."

After months of debate and melodrama, Carlo Ancelotti bit the bullet. He appeased the dreamers and soccer romanticists by going down the ’last dance’ route. Much of the nation wept happy tears.

Neymar was gifted one last shot at redemption and glory at his fourth World Cup in 2026. His inclusion overshadowed Seleção’s talent deficit in key areas of the pitch, with far too many thrilled about the 34-year-old’s inclusion to care.

However, Neymar’s World Cup finale would prove to be a damp squib, with the aforementioned issues ultimately undermining their quest to end a 24-year wait for a sixth World Cup triumph.

Here’s an overview of his history with soccer‘s most illustrious event.

2014 World Cup

Neymar Jr — Neymar carried Brazil on his shoulders on home soil. | Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Dunga, who captained Brazil to their fourth World Cup in 1994, opted against calling up an 18-year-old Neymar in 2010, and expressed no regret over the decision more than a decade on.

So, Brazil’s next great hope would enjoy his first shot at the big stage on home soil, carrying his nation’s hopes in 2014. While many have been quick to point out the Seleção’s talent deficit for the upcoming tournament, they reached the semifinals 12 years ago thanks to Thiago Silva's outstanding stability and the majesty of their precocious prince in attack.

This was Neymar’s World Cup until it wasn’t. He kick-started the tournament with a brace against Croatia before rounding off the group stage with another double, this time against Cameroon. A robust Chile took Brazil to penalties in the round of 16, with Neymar scoring from the spot moments before Gonzalo Jara missed the decisive spot-kick.

James Rodriguez’s Colombia stood in their way with a semifinal spot at stake, but Silva’s header and David Luíz’s stunning free-kick inspired a 2–1 victory.

It was in a moment of celebration when Brazil learned the extent of Neymar’s back injury, having felt the full force of Juan Zúñiga’s knee. Cruelly ruled out for the rest of the tournament, he could only watch on as a cold-hearted Germany put the over-emotional Brazilians to the sword. An infamous 7–1 defeat followed, with Silva‘s suspension perhaps more keenly felt than the absence of their talisman.

Neymar was still recognized for his tremendous debut, receiving the 2014 Bronze Ball and named to the All-Star Team.

2018 World Cup

Brazil were the pre-tournament favorites to win the 2018 World Cup, and they maintained that status up until the start of the quarterfinals.

They hadn’t exactly sparkled in Russia, but they’d shown signs of moving through the gears in a 2–0 win over Serbia to wrap up the group stage. Neymar scored Brazil’s second in another 2–0 victory on Matchday 2 against Costa Rica, and was also on target in the comfortable round of 16 triumph over Mexico.

There were fitness concerns over the then-Paris Saint-Germain star ahead of the tournament, but Neymar looked supreme in Samara, tapping home the opening goal after Brazil had been defied by Guillermo Ochoa for 50 minutes.

It was a performance that convinced so many after a rather inauspicious start, but they subsequently succumbed to Belgium’s ’golden generation’ in the quarterfinals. Brazil rallied too late and lacked a clinical edge in front of goal, as an inspired Thibaut Courtois performance thrust the Red Devils into the last four.

2022 World Cup

It was seemingly always going to be one of Argentina or Brazil who prevailed in the Gulf. The former were the Copa América holders and riding an unwavering sense of momentum, but the Seleção had the allure and prestige, not to mention a mightily talented squad.

They looked great against Serbia, with a Richarlison brace, including an acrobatic stunner, helping them to a 2–0 win. However, a tearful Neymar was withdrawn with an ankle injury, later confirmed as a sprain, and he missed their remaining group games as a result.

Brazil progressed without much fuss, and they didn’t require their all-time leading goalscorer in the last 16 either, thumping South Korea 4–1. Neymar played 13 minutes to round off a wonderful night, and was back in Tite’s squad for the quarterfinal clash with Croatia.

He produced the special moment that ought to have set-up a mouth-watering semifinal with the Lionel Messi-inspired Argentina, but his 105th-minute opener was cancelled out by Bruno Petković in the dying embers of extra time.

Then, Brazil felt the wrath of Dominik Livaković, who saved two Brazilian penalties while Croatia was perfect. Neymar was due to take the fifth.

2026 World Cup

It started with a calf injury and ended in tears. After Brazil succumbed to two Erling Haaland goals at MetLife Stadium, Neymar bade farewell to the national team.

”I tried. I tried. It started here at MetLife Stadium and I finished here. It is now over," the 34-year-old told Globo in the wake of the Seleção’s earliest World Cup elimination since 1990.

A calf injury disrupted the start of his tournament, and he didn’t take to the field until Brazil was cruising against Scotland in its final group game. Anyone who’d followed Neymar’s career back to his homeland knew what to expect in North America, and that was an iteration of the star entertainer that can only be described as ’watered-down’.

Ancelotti didn’t trust him in the round-of-32 turnaround against Japan, but bought into the erroneous sense of destiny when Brazil was trying to break Norway’s resolve.

He entered proceedings after 68 minutes with the deadlock yet to be broken, with Ancelotti reducing his defensive responsibilities by utilizing him as a false nine. However, Brazil struggled to get its foot on the ball during the final quarter of the contest, with the removal of Bruno Guimarães from midfield proving a poor decision.

Norway took charge via the head and left boot of the inevitable Haaland, with Neymar’s consolatory penalty a fitting conclusion to his World Cup career. Almost.

Neymar’s Complete World Cup Record

Tournaments	Games Played	Goals	Best Finish	Awards Won
4	15	9	Fourth-place (2014)	Bronze Ball (2014), All-Star Team (2014)

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