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. He said
“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.
