Brazil coach Tite hopes his samba stars will be dancing again after the World Cup quarter-final against Croatia on Friday.
Tite joined in a dance on the touchline with several of his players as Brazil raced into a 4-0 half-time lead in Monday’s last-16 tie against South Korea, sparking condemnation and accusations of disrespect.
But the Brazil players, including Neymar and Vinicius Junior, certainly didn't seem bothered by the furore as they prepared for the Croatia clash with a training session on the eve of the last-eight tie.
And Tite, who oversaw the session, was equally unruffled. “I am very sorry but I will not make comment on those who do not know Brazilian history or Brazilian culture, the way each and every one of us is,” he said.
“To those, I leave that noise aside. I want my connection to be to my job, to the people who I relate to, to those who relate to my work. They know how much I respect the Brazilian history.
“Those are the ones I give my heart to. I respect the culture.
“Who knows how many more kids will dance, because that is what is in the culture when a goal is scored.
“It is not being disrespectful to anyone else, that is how we do things, that is us.”
Images of the Brazil stars joking their way through training can be seen in the gallery above. To view the next image, just swipe.
