Former Brazil captain Cafu has said that Neymar's career with the national team deserves to be remembered as one of the most outstanding in Brazilian football history, following the forward's announcement that he is retiring from international football after his side's disappointing showing at the World Cup this year.
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Neymar, Brazil's all-time leading scorer, announced in late July that he no longer wished to continue playing for the national team. This came weeks after he indicated that his international career had ended following Brazil's defeat to Norway in the round of 16 of the World Cup.
Cafu, who holds the record for the most international appearances for Brazil with 150 matches, said: "Every player eventually reaches a point where they end their career with the national team."
He added: "The most important thing is that Neymar's career was successful by every measure. He left a clear mark and wrote his name into the history of Brazil and world football. His numbers with the national team are exceptional, and his time representing his country was very honourable."
The defeat to Norway was Brazil's closest exit from the World Cup since the 1990 tournament. It also extended the wait of the five-time champions for a sixth star that would further their record.
Neymar played in four World Cups, scoring 80 goals and providing 58 assists in 130 international matches. However, he won only one title with the senior national team, the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Cafu, who won the World Cup in 1994 and 2002, believes Brazil's attention should now turn to building a new generation under Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is leading a project to rebuild the national team ahead of the 2030 World Cup.
Cafu, who worked under Ancelotti during the Italian's spell at AC Milan, said: "I am completely convinced that 2030 will be very different for Brazil."
He continued: "The national team will have a real chance to compete for the title. We are facing a new cycle and a new project, and Ancelotti will have enough time to apply his ideas and build the team the way he wants."
Since taking charge in 2025, Ancelotti has used friendly matches to give a large number of new faces an opportunity. About two-thirds of the World Cup squad were absent from the first camp after the tournament, while eight players made their senior international debuts.
Last week, the Italian coach also announced a new squad for the friendlies against Japan and Singapore in November, which included five players who had never represented the senior national team.
Cafu concluded: "Rebuilding is always necessary, especially for a national team of Brazil's stature. By blending young players with experienced ones, the team can achieve the harmony it needs and become more ready to compete in the years ahead."
