Neymar’s international career came to an end on a bittersweet note. The 34-year-old scored from the penalty spot in Brazil’s 2-1 Round of 16 defeat to Norway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but the goal was not enough to save his side from elimination. Shortly after the final whistle, he confirmed his retirement from international football.
The decision brings the curtain down on a remarkable 132-cap career in which he scored 79 goals for Brazil. He had already hinted before the tournament that this World Cup would likely be his last.
Owing to a recurring right calf injury, Neymar featured in just two of Brazil’s five matches in the tournament. He also was on the field for 15 minutes against Scotland in group play.
Neymar net worth
While debate over his football legacy is likely to continue, particularly in the absence of a World Cup title and consistency, there is far less disagreement over his impact on the business of football.
According to estimates from multiple business publications including Celebrity Net Worth, Neymar’s net worth is about $450 million (around Rs 4,285 crore), placing him among the wealthiest active footballers in the world. However, his exact net worth is not officially disclosed.
Few players have changed football’s financial landscape as dramatically as Neymar.
His move from FC Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 remains the most expensive transfer in football history. PSG activated Neymar’s €222 million release clause, a deal that fundamentally altered the transfer market by pushing player valuations to unprecedented levels.
Before that, Neymar had already established himself as one of football’s biggest commercial attractions during a successful spell at Barcelona, where he formed the celebrated attacking trio alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez.
In 2023, he joined Al Hilal in the Saudi Pro League, reportedly signing one of the most lucrative contracts in football before returning to his boyhood club, Santos FC, in early 2025.
How Neymar built his fortune
Neymar’s wealth extends well beyond his playing salary.
Over the course of his career, business publications estimate he has earned more than $700 million through a combination of wages, bonuses and commercial partnerships. He was 25 on the world’s richest athletes Forbes list of 2025 and ranked number 3 in the World’s highest-paid soccer players Forbes list in 2024.
His endorsement portfolio has included long-term agreements with brands such as Puma, Red Bull, Beats by Dre and Qatar Airways.
Those commercial partnerships have remained valuable even during periods when injuries limited his appearances on the pitch.
Neymar’s return to Santos in January 2025 was widely described as a major salary reduction compared with his Saudi Arabian contract.
However, the financial arrangement reportedly extended beyond his basic wage.
Brazilian media reported that the agreement gave Neymar significant control over commercial and image-rights revenue generated during his second spell at Santos, allowing him to continue benefiting from sponsorships, merchandise sales and digital content alongside his football salary.
The structure reflected a growing trend in elite sport, where image rights have become as valuable as traditional playing contracts.
What he said on his retirement
“I tried,” Neymar said shortly after Selecao’s defeat. “It started here at MetLife Stadium and I finished here. It is now over.”
Meanwhile, team captain Marquinhos urged Brazilian fans to be patient with the new generation of players.
“We ask that people will have the patience with the new generation and support them from the get-go,” he said underlining how the team enters a transition period.
A global brand beyond football
Neymar also built one of the largest social media followings in world sport, with 238 million followers on Instagram alone, giving sponsors direct access to hundreds of millions of fans across multiple platforms.
Away from football, he has invested in luxury real estate in Brazil, the United States and the Middle East while continuing to support the Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr., the social foundation established in Praia Grande that provides education and sporting opportunities for thousands of children.
Those ventures mean his commercial value is unlikely to disappear with his retirement from international football.
Neymar continues to play for his club
Although Neymar’s international career has ended, his club career was expected to continue with Santos through at least the end of 2026 season.
His departure from Brazil duty closes one of the most decorated international careers of his generation. It also marks the end of a player whose influence extended beyond trophies, helping redefine football’s transfer market, player salaries and commercial opportunities during an era of unprecedented financial growth.
For sponsors and business partners, Neymar remains one of football’s most recognisable global brands, even after his final appearance for Brazil.