Neymar will not captain Brazil during next month’s Copa America, with Dani Alves handed the armband for the showpiece South American tournament on home soil.
Paris Saint-Germain superstar Neymar was named permanent Brazil captain by head coach Tite in September 2018, however, he has been replaced by 36-year-old club and country team-mate Alves.
In a statement released on Monday, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said: “The decision was communicated to Neymar by Tite on Saturday.”
The announcement comes after a turbulent end to the season for Neymar at Ligue 1 champions PSG, where coach Thomas Tuchel has ruled out the former Barcelona star becoming captain.
Daniel Alves será o capitão da #SeleçãoBrasileira na Copa América. Boa sorte, craque! #JogaBola
Saiba mais em https://t.co/8JGEihDKZX
Foto: @lucasFigfoto / CBF pic.twitter.com/WVGf96pYDa
— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) May 27, 2019
Neymar – who scored 23 goals in all competitions this season after recovering from a foot injury – is set to serve a three-match ban for striking an opposition supporter after last month’s Coupe de France defeat against Rennes.
The 27-year-old also appeared to be weighed down by the burden of expectations on his shoulders during Brazil’s World Cup campaign last year as the Selecao lost in the quarter-finals.
Brazil are set to host the Copa America, with the eight-time champions – who failed to progress beyond the group stage in 2016 – drawn alongside Bolivia, Peru and Venezuela in Group A.
Tite’s Brazil will open the tournament against Bolivia in Sao Paulo on June 14.
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