Brazil’s Julio Cesar reacts during their 2014 World Cup third-place playoff against the Netherlands in Brasilia on Saturday. (Reuters)
Goalkeeper Julio Cesar admitted on Saturday that his international career is over after Brazil’s World Cup campaign ended in disappointment.
“This is probably my last World Cup. To play at the Copa America in 2015, at the age of 35, would be quite complicated,” he said after Brazil’s 3-0 defeat to the Netherlands in the third-place play-off in Brasilia. “To go to that Copa America without having the 2018 World Cup in mind would be selfish on my part.”
Having been blamed for Brazil’s 2-1 defeat to Holland that saw them exit the 2010 World Cup at the quarter-final stage, the former Inter Milan shotstopper was hailed as a hero after Brazil beat Chile on penalties in the last 16 two weeks ago.
But he could do little to help his side in last Tuesday’s 7-1 semi-final hammering at the hands of Germany.
“It is a sad moment for Brazilian football. Now I think it is time to relax and try to forget about all of this. “The time has come for other goalkeepers and I think Brazil has seven or eight who are quite capable of pulling on the national jersey,” he said.
Alves says Brazil not ready for foreign coach
The Brazilian national football team is not yet ready for a foreign coach, according to defender Dani Alves.
The Barcelona star - speaking amid much soul-searching in Brazil in recent days over the future of the national side - said: “I don’t know if Brazil would accept that.” But he added: “At this level we need to show much more than we did during the World Cup.”
Brazil’s 3-0 defeat by the Netherlands in Saturday’s third-place play-off followed their 7-1 semi-final thrashing by Germany in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday.
Coach Luis Felipe Scolari, whose contract ends after the World Cup, has left open his future plans, though support for him staying in the post has been voiced in a number of quarters.
Meanwhile Dutch coach Louis van Gaal is preparing to leave the national team and take over at Manchester United, following the third place achieved by the Netherlands.
With the hint of moisture in his eyes, he paid tribute to his players after the win over Brazil on Saturday.
“I think they will always have a place in my heart,” the coach said.
Van Gaal had made it clear before the match that he did not think there should be such a thing as a third-place match.
Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf said that third - or “bronze” - was a good and well-earned farewell present for Van Gaal, although it could only go a little way to easing the pain of not winning the trophy itself.