Neymar Breaks Pele’s Goal-Scoring Record as Brazil Triumphs Over Bolivia

Introduction: On the morning of September 9th, the Brazilian national team kicked off their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign in South America with a resounding 5-1 victory over Bolivia. Neymar, despite missing a penalty, scored twice and provided an assist in an outstanding performance.

Neymar’s return to the field, despite lingering doubts about his fitness following an injury since his move to Al Hilal, was met with anticipation. He hadn’t played a single match for his new club in Saudi Arabia. However, the 31-year-old star donned the Brazilian jersey with pride.

This move may draw criticism from Al Hilal fans, but it’s evident that Neymar’s top priority at the moment is representing the Brazilian national team. The upcoming World Cup in 2026 might be his last chance to make an impact on the global stage.

Neymar displayed his explosive skills and had an opportunity to open the scoring from the penalty spot in the 17th minute, but his shot was too tame to beat Bolivia’s goalkeeper, Guillermo Viscarra. In a dominating display, the Brazilian national team quickly took the lead, with Rodrygo scoring in the 24th minute.

Towards the end of the first half, Neymar showcased his dribbling prowess, nearly doubling the lead, but he was thwarted by Guillermo Viscarra.

In the second half, just 47 minutes in, Neymar delivered a beautiful assist to Raphinha, extending Brazil’s lead to 2-0. A mere 6 minutes later, Neymar contributed once again, setting up Rodrygo for his second goal of the match, increasing the lead to 3-0.

In the 61st minute, Neymar finally found the back of the net himself after several missed chances, making it 4-0 for Brazil. In the 78th minute, forward Abrego managed to pull one back for Bolivia with a surprise counter-attack. However, in injury time (90+3), Neymar left his mark on his return to the Brazilian national team, sealing a convincing 5-1 victory.

With these two goals, Neymar officially surpassed the goal-scoring record of “Football King” Pele, becoming the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Brazilian national team, with 79 goals compared to Pele’s 77.