Neymar has overtaken Pele to turn into Brazil‘s all-time males’s prime scorer, netting twice in his nationwide workforce 5-1 win in a World Cup qualifying match in opposition to Bolivia within the Amazon metropolis of Belém.
The Al Hilal ahead was tied with Pele, who scored 77 objectives for Brazil between 1957 and 1971. Neymar now has 79 objectives in 125 worldwide appearances.
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“I never imagined reaching this record. I want to say that I am not better player than Pele,” mentioned Neymar after the sport. “I always wanted to make my own story, write my name in the history of Brazilian football and the national team. And today I did that.”
Brazil ladies‘s ahead Marta holds the nation’s all-time report with 115 objectives in 171 video games.
Neymar’s record-breaking purpose got here after a low cross into the penalty field, which the striker completed with accuracy from shut vary. He celebrated with a punch within the air, as Pele often did.
Earlier within the match, Neymar missed a penalty within the seventeenth minute, which goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra saved.
Pelé’s Basis acknowledged Neymar’s achievement.
“Congratulations, Neymar Jr, for surpassing the King in goals for the Brazilian National Team in official FIFA matches,” it mentioned on social media. “Surely Pelé is applauding you today!”
Pelé died from most cancers Dec. 29 in Sao Paulo on the age of 82.
Striker Rodrygo, who additionally scored two objectives in opposition to Bolivia, mentioned he is nonetheless very a lot a Neymar fan.
“Neymar is very much a hero of mine,” Rodrygo mentioned. “This will be in my memory, this was a very special day.”
New Brazil coach Fernando Diniz mentioned Neymar got here to play for Brazil “to score goals, break records, show that he is very much willing to live this [with the national team.]”
“He is a great hero,” Diniz mentioned. “People have to recognize it and accept it. He doesn’t do anything to get this adoration he gets from the crowd, it is because of the natural talent he has.”
Neymar’s most up-to-date match for Brazil earlier than the victory over Bolivia was the World Cup quarterfinal loss to Croatia. He left Qatar with doubts about his future within the nationwide workforce and didn’t play the Selecao’s first three video games this 12 months.
The previous Santos, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star scored in his Brazil debut in a 2010 pleasant in opposition to the United States.
Neymar guided Brazil to the Confederations Cup title in 2013 however has but to make them a World Cup closing, reaching quarterfinals twice — 2018 and 2022 — and the semifinal in 2014, once they suffered a humiliating 7-1 defeat to Germany on residence soil.
He missed out on Brazil’s 2019 Copa America triumph via harm and was on the dropping facet in 2021’s closing in opposition to Argentina.
The 31-year-old has loved a glittering membership profession with honours, together with two LaLiga titles, a Champions League trophy, 5 Ligue 1 titles and a Copa Libertadores.
The Related Press contributed to this report.