“Neymar’s consolation penalty against Norway at the World Cup means his first international goal, scored on his first cap, was in the same stadium (MetLife) as his last international goal on his final cap,” writes Griffin Cant. “Are there any other players who have bookended their international career in a similar way?”
Over 77,000 people were at the MetLife Stadium on 10 August 2010 as Neymar made his Brazil bow in a friendly against the USA. The fresh-faced, dodgy-haircutted 18-year-old scored after just 28 minutes, a thumping header past Tim Howard in the USA goal. Nearly 16 years later, he rolled his penalty – his 80th goal for his country on his 130th appearance – past Norway’s Ørjan Nyland at the same end of the stadium as Brazil exited the World Cup in the last 16 and followed it by announcing his retirement from international duty.
