Thierry Henry has given his verdict on Neymar after the Brazil star's international career ended in disappointment at the World Cup.
A 2-1 loss to Norway in yesterday's Round of 16 clash means there will be no fairytale ending for the 34-year-old. Carlo Ancelotti's Selecao crashed out to the Norwegians, courtesy of an Erling Haaland brace.
Neymar got himself on the scoresheet with a late penalty, but it came too late for the World Cup record-holders, who exited the competition. The former Barcelona forward announced his international retirement immediately following the defeat at MetLife Stadium.
Thierry Henry Reacts to Neymar International Retirement
Thierry Henry standing with a microphone
Neymar enjoyed a storied international career which included eclipsing the late great Pele as Brazil's all-time top scorer. He managed 80 goals and 59 assists in 130 games but failed to win a World Cup or Copa America.
The Brazilian superstar isn't everyone's cup of tea but Henry made sure to pay tribute to him. The French icon pointed out his influence on world football when speaking on FOX Sports:
"I would have paid money just to watch him play. He made everyone fall in love with football. Every kid wanted to be Neymar. I don't want to talk about the World Cup or how his career ended. I want to talk about what he gave to football."
Ancelotti's decision to call Neymar up for the World Cup came as somewhat of a shock. He is seeing out his career at boyhood club Santos, and many felt Chelsea's Joao Pedro deserved a place in the 26-man squad.
Neymar didn't start any of his two appearances during the tournament and came into it nursing a calf injury. A 14-minute cameo outing in a 3-0 win over Scotland came before last night's defeat to Norway.
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What is Neymar's Legacy?
Neymar Brazil vs Scotland World Cup 2026REUTERS/Paul Childs/Action Images
Neymar's meteoric rise started at Santos, where he became one of the most highly-admired teenage talents in the world. He headed to Barcelona in July 2013 and formed one of the greatest frontlines in the sport's history.
The Selecao attacker starred alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in a fearsome front three. He won the UEFA Champions League and two La Liga titles while at Camp Nou.
Neymar then made a controversial move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017, becoming the world's most expensive player in a £200m deal. He didn't always win over the Parisian fanbase, but he still fired PSG to five Ligue 1 titles among other major trophies.
|Neymar for Brazil|
|Competition|Appearances|Goals|Assists|
|---|
|International Friendlies|72|46|32|
|World Cup Qualification|28|16|18|
|FIFA World Cup|15|9|5|
|Copa América|12|5|7|
|FIFA Confederations Cup|5|4|2|
Norway's Martin Odegaard clashes with Brazil's Neymar Jr. Related
Martin Odegaard Speaks Out on 'Awkward' Neymar Clash After Norway 2-1 Brazil
Neymar completely lost it with the Norway star during the game.
The Brazilian will go down as one of the most polarising players to ever grace the game. But on his day, he was a special talent who could light up stadiums with his quick feet and clinical finishing abilities.