Tag: Brazil

  • La Liga: Barcelona sign Brazilian goalkeeper for £23m

    La Liga: Barcelona sign Brazilian goalkeeper for £23m

    Barcelona have signed Brazilian goalkeeper Neto from Valencia for an initial 26m euros (£23.3m), plus 9m euros in add-ons.

    Neto joins the La Liga champions on a four-year deal as a direct replacement for Jasper Cillessen who joined Valencia for 35m euros on Wednesday.

    The deal will keep the 29-year-old at Barcelona until the end of the 2022-23 season.

    A buyout clause has been set at 200m euros (£179m).

    “The Brazilian goalkeeper has a large presence between the sticks,” Barcelona said in a statement on their club website.

    “His height, at almost two metres, combined with his agility, make Neto a goalkeeper who gives strikers very little net to shoot at.”

    Neto made 47 appearances for Valencia in all competitions last season, keeping 10 clean sheets in La Liga to help them finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League.

  • Tax dispute: Brazil authorities seizes Neymar’s mansions, other properties

    Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) striker Neymar’s off-pitch woes continue to mount, as Brazilian tax authorities put a freeze on dozens of his mansions and other properties amid a long-running tax dispute.

    A local Brazilian media outlet, Folha de S.Paulo newspaper, reported on Monday that Brazilian authorities blocked 36 properties in Brazil as they seek 69 million reais (£14 million) in back taxes.

    They claim that amount is due in connection with Neymar’s 2013 transfer from Santos to FC Barcelona.

    The action means Neymar can use the properties but not sell them.

    Folha cited an unspecified court ruling as approving the action by Brazil tax authorities.

    It was not immediately possible to locate the ruling.

    Brazil’s tax agency did not respond to a request for comment.

    Also, a spokeswoman for Neymar did not have any comment.

    In addition to his tax fight, Neymar in recent weeks has been accused of rape, an allegation that Brazilian police are investigating.

    A Brazilian woman accused the 27-year-old Neymar of raping her at a Paris hotel last month.

    He denies the allegation and says the relationship was consensual.

    On Sunday, a report in L’Equipe said PSG were prepared to sell Neymar, as chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi warned that irresponsible behaviour from players won’t be tolerated anymore.

  • Marta dedicates landmark goal to gender equality

    Marta dedicates landmark goal to gender equality

    When Brazil forward Marta scored a landmark 16th World Cup goal, she took the opportunity to promote gender equality with a special celebration.

    After netting the opener from the penalty spot in Brazil’s 3-2 defeat by Australia on Thursday, the 33-year-old pointed to her boots, which sported a pink and blue symbol to represent equality.

    Her boot sponsorship deal expired last year and the veteran striker has since refused to sign a new one.

    Martha said brands were not offering deals on a par with male soccer players.

    Marta, a United Nations goodwill ambassador for women and girls in sport, instead opted to highlight the disparity on the international stage.

    The goal made her the first player to score at five different World Cups, while her tally of 16 means she now shares the record for most World Cup goals alongside German Miroslav Klose.

    “It’s one more detail written in the history of women’s football,” she said of the milestone goal. “I am honoured, but there’s more to do at this tournament.”

  • Women’s World Cup: Cristiane’s hat-trick gives Brazil perfect start

    Women’s World Cup: Cristiane’s hat-trick gives Brazil perfect start

    Brazil’s Cristiane scored a hat-trick as the former finalists sealed a superb 3-0 victory over women’s World Cup debutants, Jamaica, on Sunday to kick off their campaign in style.

    The victory at Stade des Alpes in Grenoble meant Vadao’s side maintained their perfect record in World Cup openers.

    The team had snapped a run of nine straight defeats in the lead-up to the tournament since a 2-1 win over Japan, last July.

    Cristiane started in place of fellow forward, Marta, who was ruled out of the game with a thigh problem.

    She gave Brazil the lead in the 15th minute by meeting Barcelona midfielder, Andressa’s cross from the left with a header past Jamaica’s goalkeeper, Sydney Schneider.

    The South Americans continued to create chances and could have doubled their lead after earning a penalty for handball by Jamaica defender, Allyson Swaby, but Schneider saved Andressa’s tame effort on goal seven minutes before the break.

    Cristiane tucked in her second goal from a tight angle following the restart as Andressa provided the assist again.

    The 34-year-old completed her hat-trick with a powerful free-kick that rattled the underside of the crossbar and landed in.

    Brazil, who are aiming to surpass their best-ever finish in 2007 when they were beaten by Germany in the title clash, take on Australia in Montpellier in their next Group C contest on Thursday.

    Jamaica will play against Italy in Reims on Friday

  • Copa America: Brazil finally names Neymar’s replacement

    Copa America: Brazil finally names Neymar’s replacement

    Brazil has finally named the player that will replace injured Paris Saint-Germain star, Neymar at the upcoming 2019 Copa America.

    Neymar has been ruled out of Brazil’s 2019 Copa America campaign, after rupturing ankle ligaments in a friendly against Qatar few days ago.

    According to Liverpool Echo, Brazil has now called up Chelsea’s Willian to replace Neymar.

    Willian was not included in Brazil coach, Tite’s initial 23-man squad released last month.

    Brazil host the Copa America between June 14 and July 7, kicking off against Bolivia before facing Venezuela and Peru, respectively

  • Injured Neymar to miss Copa America

    Neymar will miss the 2019 Copa America on home soil after rupturing a ligament in his ankle during Brazil’s 2-0 friendly win over Qatar in Brasilia.

    The Paris St-Germain forward, 27, who was stripped of the Brazilian captaincy in May, limped off after 17 minutes.

    Everton’s Richarlison had put the hosts ahead after 16 minutes and Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus added a second eight minutes later.

    The 12-team Copa America tournament starts on Friday, 14 June.

    Neymar was taken to hospital for a scan after being helped off the pitch by members of the Brazil support staff, having appeared to twist his ankle.

    Brazil coach Tite, who on Monday described the forward as “indispensable” but not “irreplaceable” in the team, initially believed the injury would not be “very serious”.

    Neymar, who joined PSG from Barcelona for a world record 222m euros in August 2017, missed three months between January and April earlier this year after breaking a metatarsal in his right foot.

    He also missed three months following surgery on the same injury in 2018, returning just in time to play in the World Cup.

  • Brazil star Neymar denies rape accusation

    Brazil star Neymar denies rape accusation

    Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar has denied he raped a woman he met on Instagram and insisted he is the victim of attempted blackmail.

    Reuters and Associated Press say they have seen a document filed in Sao Paulo alleging the footballer drunkenly assaulted his accuser at a hotel in Paris, where he plays for Paris Saint-Germain.

    The former Barcelona player, who signed for PSG for a world record £198m, is alleged to have met the woman after they exchanged messages on the social media site.

    His assistant is said to have sent the woman plane tickets on 15 May and the pair checked in to a hotel.

    According to the claims in the police report, after Neymar and the woman “caressed” the footballer became “aggressive”, then used “violence” and “practised sexual intercourse against the will of the victim”.

    The player posted a seven-minute video on Instagram on Sunday in which he denied the accusation and insisted it was “a set-up”.

    “Anyone who knows me, knows of my behaviour, knows that I would never do something like that,” he said.

    The video included intimate images and WhatsApp messages he says he exchanged with the accuser in a friendly way days later.

    “There was a relationship between a man and a woman between four walls,” he said, adding that “the next day nothing happened”.

    “I hope investigators read the messages and see what happened,” said the striker.

    A statement issued by Neymar’s management on his website said the 27-year-old forward completely repudiated the allegations and that he was a victim of blackmail.

    “Although he was surprised by the news, the facts were already known to the player and his staff, considering that a few days ago he was the victim of an attempted extortion, practised by a lawyer from Sao Paulo who said he represented the interests of the alleged victim,” it said.

    “The player’s lawyers were immediately notified and have since taken all appropriate steps.

    “We completely repudiate the unjust accusations and, above all, the exposure in the press of an extremely negative situation.

    “All evidence of attempted extortion and non-rape will be submitted to the police authorities in a timely manner.”

    The woman told police about the incident when she returned home to Brazil, saying she did not report it in Paris because she was “emotionally shaken and afraid to register the facts in another country”.

    Earlier, Neymar’s father and agent, Neymar Sr, said his son had consensual sexual relations with the accuser and was blackmailed by her lawyer after they broke up.

    He said his son was innocent, but said the family were going through a “tough” time.

    PSG have not commented on the allegation, nor has the hotel where it is said to have taken place.

    Neymar is currently in Brazil, training with the national team ahead of the Copa America tournament this month.

     

  • Ex-Brazilian international murdered

    Ex-Brazilian international murdered

    Ex-Brazilian international, Valdiram Caetano de Morais has reportedly been found dead in the streets of Santana area of Sao Paulo, Brazil over the weekend.

    Marca reports that three men were arrested over Valdiram’s murder, even as one of them has since been released because of lack of evidence of his participation in the ex-striker’s death.

    The report claimed that the other two remain in police custody as Valdiram’s body underwent an autopsy with the Institute of Legal Medicine.

    The report also claimed that an investigation into Valdiram’s death is ongoing.

    Valdiram played alongside Brazil legend, Romario during their time at Vasco da Gama.

    He signed for the Rio de Janeiro side in 2006 and scored 14 goals in 32 games.

    The 36-year-old had been battling alcoholism and drug addiction for over 10 years.

  • Football legend, Pele leaves hospital in France

    Football legend, Pele leaves hospital in France

    Brazilian soccer legend Pele was discharged from a French hospital on Monday after recovering from a urinary infection, media in France has reported.

    Pele, 78, was admitted to the hospital in Paris last Wednesday with a fever after attending an event in the city with French World Cup-winner Kylian Mbappe.

    Pele, considered by many as the game’s finest player and the winner of three World Cups, was treated with antibiotics and said on Friday he was feeling much better.

    There was however no immediate confirmation of the discharge from Pele’s press office in Brazil.

  • Terrorism: Nigeria to send Military to Brazil for training

    The Federal Government has called for the support of Brazilian Government in the fight against Boko Haram terrorism and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

    Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali, made the call in Rio de Janeiro, when he visited his Brazilian counterpart, Mr Fernando Silva.

    In a statement in Abuja on Friday, Media Assistant to the minister, Col. Tukur Gusau, quoted him as saying that terrorism was a global phenomenon that needed to be addressed by all nations.

    Dan-Ali also requested the assistance of the Brazilian Defence Ministry to Nigeria’s effort at establishing a military industrial complex in the country.

    He added that “very soon, Nigeria will be sending its military officers to Brazil for training”.

    In his response, E-Silva pledged the support of his country to Nigeria for the combat of insurgency and terrorism.