September 09, (THEWILL) – Brazilian football legend, Neymar, etched his name into the record books early on Saturday morning, surpassing the iconic Pelé to become his country’s all-time leading goalscorer.
The Al Hilal forward netted two second-half goals to steer Brazil to a 5-1 victory over Bolivia in their World Cup qualifier. The 31-year-old drew level with Pelé’s tally of 77 when he opportunistically poked home after a deflected shot fell kindly in the 56th minute. The striker then calmly stroked the ball into the net in injury time to move onto 78 goals for Brazil in 125 appearances.
The milestone caps a remarkable international career for Neymar, who made his debut in 2010, aged just 18. He formed part of the Brazil side that suffered a humiliating 7-1 defeat to Germany in the 2014 World Cup semi-finals on home soil. Now he stands alone as his nation’s greatest ever goal getter.
Neymar did fluff his lines earlier in the game, seeing a tame 17th minute penalty easily saved by Bolivia’s goalkeeper. However, his teammates Rodrygo and Raphinha, stepped up to give Brazil a 2-0 lead before the skipper took centre stage. Victor Abrego grabbed a late consolation for the visitors.
New Brazil manager, Fernando Diniz, praised Neymar as an “idol” and said his desire to have “fun” on the pitch was key. Neymar recently left PSG for Saudi Arabian outfit, Al Hilal, after an illustrious European career that included a four-year spell at Barcelona.
At just 31, Neymar still has time to build on his record. But for now, he can bask in the glory of surpassing the legendary Pelé in the famous yellow shirt.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
