Brazilian international and new Al Hilal Forward Neymar scored his 78th and 79th goals for Brazil in a 5-1 World Cup qualifying demolition of Bolivia.
Neymar who plays for Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal missed a penalty in the 17th minute. Neymar’s penalty was saved by goalkeeper Billy Viscarra.
Neymar has overtaken Pele as the top goal scorer for Brazil’s national team after overtaking the three-time World Cup winner’s career total of 77 against national teams with a goal in a World Cup qualifying match against Bolivia.
The 61st-minute strike was Brazil’s fourth goal of the match in a 5-1 win in the Amazon city of Belem, with the last goal of the game also being scored by Neymar.
Brazil’s football confederation considers Pele as its top goal scorer with 95 goals in 114 matches, however FIFA does not count goals that Pele scored at national team friendlies against clubs.
“78 times Neymar,” the Brazilian football body said on social media after Neymar’s record-breaking goal.
The president of Brazil Football Federation Ednaldo Rodrigues reiterated that Neymar had become “the all-time top goal-scorer for Brazil in matches against national teams”.
“I am very happy, no words for this,” Neymar said in brief comments to the media after he was handed a plaque by the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, Ednaldo Rodrigues. “I never thought I would reach this record”. He added.
