Dunga also included Barcelona stars Neymar and Dani Alves as well as Kaka, a 33-year-old national hero of yesteryear, who now plays for Orlando City in Major League Soccer.
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The Brazilian scored a stunning victor against Stoke on the opening day of the Premier league and has been the best player at Liverpool since January 2015.
“We gave him a chance in the Copa América”, Dunga told reporters regarding Coutinho when the squad was announced. “We need experience, not just youngsters”, said the 51-year-old. As Kaka can attest following his time in the worldwide wilderness, there isn’t much room for patience in Brazil.
Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho has been somewhat surprisingly omitted, while Danilo, Oscar and Luiz Gustavo all come back in after missing the Copa America with injury. We’re starting the qualification process for the next World Cup, so it’s an important period for everybody and also for me.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Nike and other sponsors of the Brazil national team would undergo investigation for alleged corruption and dabbling in matters beyond their authority, per Reuters (h/t Daily Mail).
Brazil manager Dunga has passed over veteran Thiago Silva as well as Liverpool playmaker Phillipe Coutinho. Speaking to Talksport, the former AC Milan and Real Madrid schemer said: “Philippe Coutinho is a very good player…”
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Brazil, the only nation to win the World Cup five times, is coached by Dunga and finished in fourth place in last year’s World Cup in Brazil.
