Brazil leave the 2026 World Cup through the back door. Beaten by Norway in the round of 16 (1-2), the Seleção record their worst performance in the competition since 1990. For a country used to going deep in major global tournaments, this early elimination feels like a real earthquake.
For the first time in 36 years, Brazil will not be among the eight best nations at a World Cup. It is a historic anomaly for the Seleção, who had always reached at least the quarter-finals between 1994 and 2022. During that period, Brazil won two World Cups, in 1994 and 2002, reached a final in 1998, a semi-final in 2014 and several quarter-finals.
Neymar Breaks Down as Marquinhos Takes Responsibility
This elimination also marks the end of a cycle for Neymar. After scoring a late penalty, the former PSG player could not prevent Brazil’s collapse. At the final whistle, the Santos forward burst into tears, inconsolable despite Raphinha’s support. Visibly emotional, Neymar then confirmed that this defeat marked the end of his story with the Seleção. At 34, the former Paris No. 10 leaves the Brazilian national team after 130 caps and 80 goals, becoming the top scorer in his country’s history.
“I tried, I tried… Now it’s over. I started here, I ended here,” Neymar told Globoesporte TV, referring to MetLife Stadium, where he made his Brazil debut in 2010 in a friendly against the United States. The other powerful image of the night came from Marquinhos. The centre-back, former PSG captain and Seleção leader, took responsibility after the match. “It’s inexplicable. It’s really difficult to talk about. With the experience we have, we know these are difficult games, where every ball is decisive. Today, Norway managed to take their chances. We missed the opportunities we had,” he admitted.
NEYMAR EN LARMES, UNE IMAGE QUI FAIT MAL 💔🇧🇷
Le rêve s’arrête brutalement pour Neymar et le Brésil, éliminés par la Norvège en 8es de finale de la Coupe du monde 2026.
Buteur sur penalty en fin de match, l’ancien joueur du PSG n’a pas pu empêcher la défaite de la Seleção…
— Vipsg_fr (@vipsg_fr) July 6, 2026
Lucid in defeat, Marquinhos refused to hide from his responsibilities. “In the World Cup, the team that makes the fewest mistakes is the one that gets through to the next round. We have to hold our hands up. I am the captain, one of the oldest players, and I have to accept that responsibility,” he added. Neymar leaves the national team as a statistical legend, Marquinhos as a wounded captain, and Brazil with a huge sporting scar.
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