Evocation Dani Alves in the team Brazil for World Cup 2022 arouse public debate. Not a few questioned the decision, however Tito as coach of Selecao he defended.
Dani Alves, now 39, has been playing for the UNAM Pumas in the Mexican league since last summer. He became one of four Brazilian players who did not play in Europe. The remaining three are Weverton, Pedro and Everton Ribeiro who play for the national team.
This season, Dani Alves has appeared 12 times with the Pumas, all starting with. However, considering the age and level of competition he currently plays in, not a few feel that Tite should make room for the others.
But the 61-year-old coach has his own opinion. Dani Alves as a senior player with myriad achievements is believed to have a significant impact on the Selecao squad, which is quite packed with young players.
“He (Dani Alves) is one of our captains,” Tite said at a press conference, as quoted by ESPN.
“I didn’t come here to make people happy on Twitter. I don’t even know how many Brazilians are active there. I respect differences of opinion and I’m not here to convince everyone,” he explained.
Dani Alves is known as one of the best right-backs of his time, including with the Brazilian national team. But currently he is used extensively as a central midfielder by the Pumas.
The 2022 World Cup will likely be his last major tournament with Selecao. He previously donated trophies from the 2007 and 2019 Copa America, the 2009 and 2013 Confederations Cups and won the 2021 Olympic gold medal.
The debate on the calling of players to the national team is nothing new. It happens in every tournament. When Brazil won the 2002 World Cup, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari came under pressure to bring Romario, but chose to leave him.
(adp / krs)
