Thiago Silva unhappy with Neymar, Dunga after losing Brazil captaincy

Defender Thiago Silva has criticised Brazil coach Dunga and star player Neymar after claiming neither of them told him he was no longer Brazil captain.

“He never came to talk to me,” Thiago Silva said of Neymar, the Barcelona striker who was made captain by coach Dunga after the World Cup.

“I never spoke to anyone, it was done without any conversation. That’s what upsets me,” Brazilian web site globoesporte.com.br quoted him as saying.

Thiago Silva captained the Brazil team during the World Cup but missed the humiliating 7-1 defeat by Germany through injury. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari was replaced by Dunga soon after but the Paris St Germain defender has missed most of Dunga’s matches due to injury.

Miranda and David Luiz have played together in Brazil’s last two games, with Corinthians’ Gil also being given a chance.

Although Thiago Silva has returned to the squad, he was left out the team for Friday’s 4-0 win over Turkey and appears resigned to missing out against Austria on Monday.

“It seems like you lose your place, like they’ve taken something away from me,” he said.

Reuters