Neymar accepts the responsibility of being Brazil's captain | OneFootball

Paris Saint-Germain star Neymar will be the permanent captain of Brazil’s national team, which he believes will help him grow.

Manager Tite had been rotating the captain of his squad since taking the job in June of 2016 but starting with the friendly match win against the United States on Friday night, Neymar will hold the honour long-term.

The electric forward captained the Seleção in their Olympic run in 2016, winning the gold medal in Rio de Janeiro. After that successful tournament, however, Neymar opted not to continue as captain at that time.

“I accepted it again because I’ve learned a lot and I will learn much more, and this responsibility will be a good thing for me,” Neymar said at the press conference ahead of the USA match.

After a disappointing World Cup campaign in Russia where his theatrical embellishments earned him many critics, the 26-year-old sees the armband as a way to neutralize that criticism.

Tite supported his player at the news conference and explained how this new challenge can help Neymar.

“Time goes by and people grow and mature,” Tite said. “All this time we’ve been with Neymar, we’ve faced important situations that he has judged appropriately, so he’s ready to take that step forward.”