Players wey go retire from international football afta 2026 World Cup
Wia dis foto come from
Published6 July 2026, 11:44 WAT
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Di 2026 World Cup don enta di business stage, wia di boys dey separate from di men
Some ogbonge teams already comot di competition wey those pipo describe as dark horses, still dey di tournament
For Africa, eight of di 10 kontris comot, only Morocco and Egypt remain
Di Pharaohs get R16 match against Argentina on 8 July at 4PM GMT wey Morocco go jam wit France for di quarterfinal
Di tournament don already show excellent goalkeepers, new talents emerge, wey some of di big boys dey stamp dia authority
For some of dis ogbonge players, dis be dia last tournament; odas go try one more time for di 2030 World Cup
A few of dem go also try anoda shot for di African cup of nations for 2027
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List of players wey already announce dia retirement
Wia dis foto come from,ANGELA WEISS/AFP VIA
Neymar
Di 34-year-old wey play only 38 minutes throughout di World Cup announce im retirement from international football afta dem comot di tournament for di R16
Norway defeat Brazil 2-1 for dat game wit two goals from Erling Haaland bifor Neymar score late penalty for di 100th minute
Dat penalty no dey enough, na so di Seleccao comot di competition – wit Neymar in tears
“I bin try. I bin try. Now e dey ova. Na here is start for international football, na here I bin finish,” Neymar tok for one interview for TV Globo afta Brazil comot di World Cup for di MetLife stadium
Neymar play im first match for Brazil for dis stadium for August 2010; im also score for dat game wey end 2-0 against di US
Di Santos forward since become di all-time top scorer for Brazil wit 80 goals from 130 games
But injuries make Neymar no play for di national team since 2023 bifor dem select am for dis World Cup wit plenty controversy
Neymar play for four world cup tournaments – 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026
Guillermo Ochoa
Wia dis foto come from,MANUEL VELASQUEZ/FIFA/
Di 40-year-old goalkeeper na Mexican legend wey be di first choice since 2014 bifor im lose dat spot for di 2026 tournament
Im already tok say dis World Cup na im last tournament for di national team bifor di competition even begin
Im also tok say im dey hang im boots from professional football afta di World Cup
Na so dem make im play im final minutes as Mexico footballer for di game against Czechia for 25 June
Dis na im sixth world cup (2006,2010,2014,201, 2022 and 2026) wey im play 12 minutes for di current competition bifor England comot dem for R16
Ochoa no fit control im tears afta Mexico lose dat match
“Azteca na wia I bin play my first game, na hia be my last game,” Ochoa tok afta di game
Im add say “dis na beautiful chapter for my career, I tank everybodi”
Di 40-year-old bin play 153 games for Mexico; 12 of dem na for di World Cup
Manuel Neuer
Wia dis foto come from,MICHAEL REAVES/
Di German goalkeeper wey help Germany win di 2014 World Cup for Brazil bin hang im boots from international duty for 2024
For 2020, im win di Best Fifa World Goalkeeper – at di time im first retire, im chop 38 years
But German coach Julian Nagelsmann bin recall di now 40-year-old Neuer from retirement for di 2026 World Cup as first-choice keeper
Afta Germany bin comot di tournament on penalties to Paraguay, Neuer announce im retirement from international football for di second time
“Di early exit from di World Cup dey disappointing, we neva reach di expectations of di kontri and di fans,” di 40-year-old tok afta dem comot di tournament
“I bin make conscious decision to play for Germany one more time sake of to dey wear di national team jersey na pride, wey I gat experience for four world cups na so I bin want support di young players.”
Neuer add say “I don dey disappointed well well, but I dey grateful. Thank you for di support ova all dis years.”
Di Bayern Munich goalkeeper bin play 128 games wit Germany since im debut for 2009
Wia dis foto come from,ERCIN ERTURK/ANADOLU VIA
Afta 12 years, Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez don announce im retirement from international football
Di ex-Manchester City star carry Algeria to di 2026 World Cup but dem lose to Switzerland for di R32
Di 35-year-old bin score two goals for dis tournament but afta dia defeat to Switzerland im tok say dis na di end
“I bin get good times and difficult times, but na part of di career,” im tok afta di game
“To represent Algeria na my dream since I be pickin; to play for my kontri. Na great honor and pride for me say I fit do am. Na di turn of di new generation now”
Mahrez bin dey retire as player for wit di second most appearances for Algeria history (119) wey im get di second most goal also (40)
Di Al Ahli forward bin dey part of di Algeria team wey win di 2019 Afcon
For 2016, Mahrez win di CAF African footballer of di year, dat same year im also win BBC African footballer of di year
Pape Gueye
Wia dis foto come from,HARRY LANGER/DEFODI VIA
Di Senegal midfielder announce say im dey quit international football after Belgium sama dem 3-2 for dia dramatic R32 game
Senegal bin dey lead di game 2-0 till di 85th minute bifor dem allow Belgium to score two quick goals to carry di game enta extra time
Yuri Tielemanns score di winning goal from di penalty spot afta VAR bin award dem penalty for di last minute for extra time
Na so Gueye wey dey play for Villarreal for Spain tok say im dey quit
“I go come back to say some tins about how we comot dis World Cup, but I dey tok am now say as long as dis same coaching staff dey di team, I go take break from di national team,” di 27-year-old bin write on top im social media page
Gueye play 45 games for Senegal wey im score two goals for dis World Cup bifor dem comot di competition
Coach Pape Thiaw bin dey coach Senegal since 2024 wey im be one of di pipo wey make dem collect di Afcon from dia hand wey dem carry give Morocco sake of im call im players to comot di park for dat game afta di referee give di Atlas Lions late penalty
E neva dey clear if dis decision by Pape Gueye to quit di national team go change any time soon, but di Villarreal midfielder make am clear say tins gatz change for di management of di national team
