Neymar steps down as Brazil captain

Barcelona star Neymar Junior has revealed that he has stepped down as the captain of Brazil. The forward led the U-23 side to the country’s first ever Olympic gold for football in Rio on Saturday and immediately announced that he would step aside as captain and allow Tite to choose a successor. Many in the […]
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sambafoot_admin
2016-08-22 21:38:00

Barcelona star Neymar Junior has revealed that he has stepped down as the captain of Brazil. The forward led the U-23 side to the country’s first ever Olympic gold for football in Rio on Saturday and immediately announced that he would step aside as captain and allow Tite to choose a successor.

Many in the Brazilian press have speculated that the armband has weighed heavy on Neymar, who has endured some disciplinary issues since being made captain by Dunga in September 2014. Neymar denies this, but insists that he will allow Tite to choose a successor.

“I don’t take it as a pressure, it is you (the press) who say it,” Neymar told Globo. “But today, as a champion, I am giving up the captain’s armband. I was glad to receive it, I have honoured it, but today I am leaving it. Tite can choose another captain.”

The armband was previously inhabited by Thiago Silva, who endured a frosty relationship with previous coach Dunga, which eventually led to his exclusion from the squad. Tite has hinted that he may rotate the captaincy as he did during his time at Corinthians. Tite names his first Brazil squad today, where he will likely reveal his intentions with the captaincy.