In a historic moment for Brazilian football, Neymar has surpassed the legendary Pele as Brazil’s all-time leading goal scorer. The 31-year-old forward achieved this feat during Brazil’s World Cup qualifying match against Bolivia, where he scored two goals in a resounding 5-1 victory.
Neymar entered the match tied with Pele at 77 goals but missed a penalty before finding the back of the net twice in the second half, bringing his total to 79 goals in 125 appearances for the national team. The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) honored Neymar with an award for surpassing Pele’s record after the game.
Expressing his humility, Neymar said, “I never imagined reaching this record. I’m no better than Pele or any other player for the national team.” Despite his modesty, Neymar’s achievement solidifies his place in Brazilian football history.
It is worth noting that Marta, a prominent figure in women’s football, holds the record for the most goals scored by any Brazilian player. Marta has netted an impressive 122 goals in 189 matches for Brazil’s women’s team.
Pele, who passed away in December 2022 at the age of 82, scored 77 goals in 92 appearances for Brazil between 1957 and 1971. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, Pele’s official social media account paid tribute to Neymar’s accomplishment, stating, “Congratulations Neymar for surpassing the King in goals for Brazil. Surely Pele is applauding you today!”
Brazil’s coach, Fernando Diniz, praised Neymar’s performance, saying, “He came to do what he did: have fun, score two goals, and break the record.” Diniz also emphasized the importance of recognizing and accepting Neymar as a significant idol in Brazilian football.
Neymar’s football journey has been remarkable. In 2017, he became the world’s most expensive player when he transferred from Barcelona to Paris St-Germain for a staggering £200 million. However, this summer, Neymar made a surprising move to the Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal, leaving the French side.
In other South American qualifying matches, Uruguay began their campaign with a 3-1 victory against Chile under the guidance of their new coach, former Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa. The qualifying stage promises to be an exciting and fiercely competitive battle among the continent’s top footballing nations.