Neymar tied Pele's record as Brazil crashed out of World Cup

Brazil couldn't capitalize on having a bonafide football legend Neymar playing for them and crashed out of the World Cup after losing to Croatia. The defeat, in the penalty shootout of the quarter-finals, came with the lone bright news of Neymar matching Pele's goalscoring record.

Neymar put Brazil ahead on the scoreboard with an absolute beauty of a goal to make it 1-0 by the 105th minute. With the game already in extra time and both sides squeezing their last drops of strength, that goal surely felt like the deciding play of the game.

Croatia, far from surrendering, went for the match in a last-gasp attempt to reach the penalty kicks to try and bet it all on luck. And they, somehow, ended up getting there and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.

Rodrygo first, and PSG defender Marquinhos later, were the two Brazilians to miss kicks from the penalty spot. Neymar, fifth in Tite's kicking sheet, never got to shoot as Brazil got eliminated fromt he shootout after their fourth attempt.

PSG forward Neymar surely had a bittersweet end to his day as he got eliminated from World Cup contention while entering the all-time record books of the Brazilian national team.

Neymar couldn't carry Brazil to their sixth World Cup triumph but scored an all-timer 77th goal with the Brazilian national team

Thanks to his extra-time goal and after having scored one earlier in the tournament, Neymar bagged his 77th goal in an official game playing for the Canarinha.

That effort tied him with Pele atop the Brazilian top goalscoring list with just one more goal to become the lone all-time leader.

Neymar will need to wait four more years to have another shot at winning the World Cup if he decides to attend it and, perhaps more importantly if he still has enough mojo in his legs to make it all the way there.

Brazil's history books, though, will most probably have to be updated sooner than four years from now: the South American nation will play official football again next calendar year.

Keep in mind that Neymar is only 30 years old while Messi is 34 and playing at the top of his levels at both PSG and Argentina.

Barring a surprising retirement from international football Neymar will keep bulking up his goalscoring tally a few months from now. We can't wait to celebrate that achievement.