Brazilian Soccer Team's Coach Says Crying Makes Players Look Bad

07/28/2014 - 08h53

The new coach of the Brazilian soccer team wants players who don't cry or lament publicly the absence of a star.

And he doesn't intend to seek a psychologist to help players keep their heads in place.

In an interview to "Veja" magazine, Dunga said the image of the Brazilian players crying on the field during the World Cup was negative and raised doubts regarding the efficiency of psychologists in soccer.

"A crying scene like that of the match against Chile looks bad. We are chauvinists, we have the idea that men don't cry," he said.

Brazil's victory on the penalty shoot-out in the World Cup eighth finals was marked by several players crying, among them goalkeeper Júlio César and the captain, defender Thiago Silva.

Dunga also defended Silva, who refused to take a penalty kick.

"The situation was really difficult when Thiago Silva refused to take the kick. A player thinks: 'if I miss, I can't go back to Brazil again.' At least he was honest with himself and brave enough to say he wasn't ready."

Dunga also criticized some players' decision to wear caps with the sentence "Força, Neymar" [Be Strong, Neymar] before the semifinals against Germany.

The main player on the Brazilian team didn't play in the historic 7-1 defeat because he was injured.

"If we are going to war, we can't grieve for our losses. We have to support the soldier who is replacing him."

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

Read the article in the original language

	Daniel Marenco/Folhapress
	Dunga, the new coach of the Brazilian soccer team, wants players who don't cry