Neymar surpassed Pele's scoring record for Brazil

* Goals: Rodrygo 24' & 53', Raphinha 47', Neymar 61' & 90'+3 - Abrego 78'

The two goals at Mangueirao Stadium were Neymar's 78th and 79th goals for Brazil, respectively. He scored for Brazil in his debut match in 2010: winning 2-0 against the US, and currently has 79 goals in 125 matches.

Pele has scored 77 goals in 92 games for Brazil. He is also the only player to have won the World Cup three times, so he is considered the greatest player in Samba. Pele also holds the record for the youngest player to ever score for Brazil, aged 16 years and nine months when he scored in a match against Argentina in 1957. The oldest player to score for Brazil is Romario, who scored at the age of 39 years and two months in the match against Guatemala in 2005.

In the list of players who scored goals for Brazil, Ronaldo Nazario is ranked right behind Pele and Neymar. The 1994 and 2002 World Cup winners contributed 62 goals in 98 games. In fourth place is Romario with 56 goals in 70 matches.

In his first appearance for Brazil since the loss to Croatia in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup, Neymar shined with one assist and two goals. In the 47th minute, Al Hilal's rookie opened the ball to the right wing for Raphinha to curl his left foot into the far corner, doubling the gap.

Neymar scored a historic goal to surpass Pele in the 61st minute. Rodrygo was fouled in the penalty area, but the ball reached Neymar's position so he could cross the corner to beat goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra. The 31-year-old striker completed his double in the third minute of injury time, with a one-touch cushion from Raphinha's cross. The ball came to Viscarra's right position, but the Bolivian goalkeeper missed the catch.

Neymar would have scored a hat-trick if he hadn't missed a penalty in the 17th minute. Central defender Adrian Jusino let the ball touch his hand from Rodrygo's cross, helping Brazil get a penalty. On the 11m mark, Neymar shot a low shot to the left corner and was caught by goalkeeper Viscarra.

Brazil's remaining two goals were scored with Rodrygo's double, while Victor Abrego scored the only goal for Bolivia. At Mangueirao Stadium, in addition to Neymar's hat-trick, another notable moment was when striker Richarlison burst into tears on the bench after making way for Matheus Cunha in the 71st minute.

Brazil started the 2026 World Cup qualifying - South America region perfectly and will be a guest of Peru in the next match on September 13.