With a goal in extra time in the first half of the World Cup quarter-final against Croatia, Neymar equaled the Brazilian legend Pelé’s record of 77 goals for the national team, which the “king” held for 51 years.

It is worth noting that FIFA recognizes the record, but the Brazilian Football Association and Pele do not recognize it, because they say that he scored 95 goals.

But FIFA only counts games between the two national teams, and some of Pelé’s goals came in friendly matches, according to the BBC.

It took Neymar 124 caps for the Selesão to catch Pelé, who in turn scored 77 goals in 92 caps.

Pelé, 82, who won three World Cups with Brazil in 1958, 1962 and 1970, is now being treated in a Sao Paulo hospital after scoring his last international goal against Austria in 1971. .

It is worth noting that Neymar’s result is not a common record for Brazil: since 2002, Marta has scored 115 goals for the women’s team.

Neymar made his debut on 10 August 2010, scoring his first international goal in the 28th minute of a 2–0 victory over the United States.

Eight of his goals have been at the World Cup (four in 2014, two in 2018 and two at the World Cup in Qatar) and five more in the America’s Cup. He won the Confederations Cup in 2013, but his best World Cup finish came as Brazil reached the semi-finals in 2014, and his best finish at the America’s Cup ended in second place in 2021.