Neymar Assets Frozen in Brazil

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Neymar has seen assets worth almost €45 million including a yacht, a jet and several properties frozen by the authorities in Brazil.

A Sao Paulo court rejected an appeal from the Brazilian striker last week and started issuing warrants to freeze the assets, Brazilian media reported.

Last year, Neymar, his family and related businesses were found guilty of evading 63 million reals in taxes (€14 million) between 2011 and 2013 when he was playing for Brazilian club Santos. He has denied any wrongdoing.

The 23-year-old used the jet to travel to Brazil for World Cup qualifying matches and holidays.

Iagaro Jung Martins, an auditor with Brazil's tax agency, told The Associated Press that Neymar is not likely to go to jail if he pays what regulators say he owes.

"He can still appeal that decision, but it is a step forward," Mr Martins said. "Nothing changed to what was in place last year. If he pays what he owes, the case is closed. Our legislation isn't too harsh."

The assets seizure is the latest in a streak of bad news for the Brazilian star off the pitch.

On February 2 Neymar and his father were questioned for three hours in a Madrid court about the player's transfer to Barcelona.

The case was brought by Grupo Sonda, which invested in Neymar early in his career and was allegedly entitled to 40% of the total transfer amount.

Barcelona maintains the deal cost the club £51.3 million. Santos officially received a payment of £12.8 million, with the remaining £38.5 million going to a company owned by Neymar's father, Neymar Santos.

But investigations in Spain later showed that Barcelona spent nearly £62.3 million to acquire Neymar.

Former and current Barcelona presidents and representatives of Santos were also questioned. The Brazilian club also claims to have been hurt by the transfers. All parties denied any wrongdoing.

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No More Samba for Menezes

Brazil have sacked head coach Mano Menezes as they seek to implement "new methods" ahead of the 2014 World Cup on home soil.

Menezes, 50, replaced Dunga after the 2010 World Cup, guiding Brazil to the last eight of the Copa America in 2011.

That defeat against Paraguay, plus Brazil's failure to win gold at London 2012, put the coach under pressure.

The decision comes two days after Brazil won the Superclasico de las Americas against Argentina.

Brazil lost the second leg 2-1 in Buenos Aires, but triumphed on spot-kicks in the tie which featured only players who play in the domestic leagues of the two countries.

Brazil Football Federation director Andres Sanchez said president Jose Maria Marin made the change because he "wants new methods and new planning" ahead of the World Cup.

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Pele Recovers from Hip Operation

Pele, the three-time World Cup winner with Brazil, is recovering in a Brazilian hospital after undergoing hip surgery.

The 72 year-old is expected to be discharged on Wednesday following the minor procedure at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo.

Pele's advisor, Jose Ovens, told Brazilian broadcaster Globoesport: "Everything went very well. It was a simple surgery. He probably will be discharged tomorrow."

It was reported that Pele had initially gone to the hospital to renew his medical insurance, but after complaining of long-term pain in his hip and then undergoing tests, opted to undergo the operation.

pele

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Brazil Will Now Target Rio 2016

Brazil's wait for a first ever Olympic gold medal in football goes on after a shock 2-1 defeat to Mexico at Wembley on Saturday.

Oribe Peralta gave Mexico the lead after just 28 seconds following woeful defending from Manchester United's Rafael da Silva.

Mano Menezes could have expected that blow to jolt his side to life but the expected riposte never came as Brazil struggled to find any of their much-vaunted rhythm throughout.

And when Hulk allowed Peralta to run unmarked to head home a second-half free-kick, it seemed to confirm that the Brazilians had wilted under the expectation of success.

That's a worrying sign for Menezes given that he is hoping to rely on many of these players to help Brazil win the World Cup on home soil in 2014.

His players did at least show some fighting spirit and a dramatic comeback looked a real possibility when Hulk ran clear to score right-footed in injury-time.

The Porto forward then crossed in the dying seconds only for Chelsea's new signing Oscar to head over the bar when it seemed easier to score.

That was the last chance of the game and the Brazil players soon slumped to the ground in unison as Mexico claimed an unlikely gold medal to send their pockets of supporters into a state of delirium.

Neymar Stars in Brazil USA Show

Neymar had a dazzling night against the United States, scoring one goal and setting up two more to lead the five-time World Cup champions to a 4-1 victory in an exhibition Wednesday night.

"We need to get an edge more nastier," said U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, the former German star and coach. "Maybe we're a little bit still too naive. Maybe we don't want to hurt people. But that's what we've got to do. You've got to do that at the end of the day. So we've got to step on their toes more and get them more frustrated and make a case with the referee maybe as well, for us, not only the opponent."

Thiago Silva, Marcelo and Alexandre Pato also scored for Brazil, playing the opener of a three-game U.S. tour.

Herculez Gomez, in his first start since the 2010 World Cup, scored for the U.S., which is preparing for its opening qualifier for the 2014 World Cup on June 8.

"Four-one was maybe not a scoreline that was indicative of the overall game. I think for long stretches of that game we kind of imposed our will on them," Gomez said. "I think the main difference was they were clinical in front of goal and we weren't."

Neymar, the 20-year-old Santos sensation, put Brazil ahead in the 12th minute after a hand ball on Oguchi Onyewu on Leandro Damiao's shot, a call the Americans disputed with referee Jeffrey Calderon of Costa Rica. Neymar then took a corner kick that Thiago Silva headed in for his first international goal in the 26th.

Gomez cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 45th following a fine run by Michael Bradley and cross by Fabian Johnson. But before an enthusiastic crowd of 67,619 at FedEx Field, Marcelo restored the two-goal lead in the 52nd as Jermaine Jones, Onyewu and American captain Carlos Bocanegra left him unmarked in front of the net. Pato entered in the 64th and added a goal in the 87th that the U.S. claimed was offside.

"We're the only team in the world that gets homered at home. It's unbelievable sometimes," Bocanegra said.

Klinsmann, a German who moved to California with his American-born wife after retiring as a player in 1998, said the U.S. team has to be more assertive with officials.

"You watch big teams in the world, what they do, and there's a call going against them -- Barcelona is one of them -- they come with 10 guys towards the referee," he said. "The referee is confused. He doesn't know even know who to show a yellow card."

Landon Donovan said "that's not really in our character as Americans."

"We try to play the game fair," Donovan said. "We don't really dive. We don't do those kind of things."

Brazil, which receives an automatic berth as the 2014 World Cup host, improved to 16-1 against the U.S. with a 35-11 goal difference.

Neymar, coveted by many European clubs, called it an efficient win.

"It's not every day that one can come and apply all sorts of dribbles, between the legs, over the head," he said through a translator. "It was a good test to play with a tough team like the U.S."

Brazil coach Mano Menezes used mostly a roster than can go to the Olympics -- limited primarily to players younger than 23.

"Since the beginning, I knew we could trust them, building with this team, blending them with more experienced players," he said, also using a translator. "We blended to try to well balance the different sectors, and their response was very good."

Following a 1-4-1 start under Klinsmann, the Americans had won five in a row, including an impressive 1-0 victory at Italy and a 5-1 win last weekend over a Scotland team that already appeared to be on summer vacation.

Against sixth-ranked Brazil, the No. 29 Americans played more offensively than in the 2-0 loss at the Meadowlands two years ago, when they were outshot 20-7. This time the U.S. had a 15-12 advantage in shots.

Klinsmann continued to tinker with his front line because Jozy Altidore didn't arrive until Monday and Clint Dempsey is recovering from a groin strain. Dempsey entered in the 57th minute, marking the first time he played with Donovan since Klinsmann replaced Bob Bradley as coach last July.

Gomez almost got another goal in the 64th, but his header off Johnson's cross was cleared off the goal line by Romula. Three minutes later, Neymar found a streaking Pato in front of the goal, but his shot bounced off goalkeeper Tim Howard's near post.

Brazil goalkeeper Rafael Cabral, making his Brazil national team debut, had a fine double save in the 76th, stopping Gomez with his left hand, then kicking away Terrence Boyd's effort. Cabral leaped to palm Bradley's header over the crossbar in the 85th, and Onyewu headed the ball off the crossbar on Donovan's free kick.

U.S. players were angry -- but not that much, given it wasn't a game that counted.

"At the end of the day, we got caught a couple times, and that's what happens," Howard said. "The second half we mixed it up a little bit. We probably need to try to impose that will and try to turn it into a scrap earlier than we did."

Ronaldinho on Olympic List

Ronaldinho, Luiz and Alves are among a number of high-profile players over the age of 23 on coach Mano Menezes' list of 52 players, with Inter Milan goalkeeper Julio Cesar, AC Milan defender Thiago Silva and Porto forward Hulk also included.

Only three players over the age of 23 can be included in the final 18-man squad.

Among the younger players listed are Santos sensation Neymar, Milan forward Alexandre Pato, Manchester United defender Rafael and Tottenham's Sandro.

The men's Olympic football tournament takes place from July 26 to August 11, keeping European-based players out of their club's pre-season camps.

Ronaldinho, who turns 32 next Wednesday and now plays for Flamengo, won Olympic bronze with Brazil in 2008, but the competition is the only major prize in world football the country has not won.

Menezes will cut the squad to 35 in June before selecting his final 18 on July 6.

Brazil's 52-man Olympics squad:

Adriano (Barcelona), Alex Sandro (Porto), Alexandre Pato (Milan), Allan (Vasco), Andre (Atletico Mineiro), Bernard (Atletico Mineiro), Bruno Uvini (Tottenham), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Danilo (Porto), David Luiz (Chelsea), Dede (Vasco), Diego Alves (Valencia), Douglas Costa (Shaktar Donetsk), Dudu (Dynamo Kiev), Elias (Sporting), Elkeson (Botafogo), Fagner (Vasco), Fernandinho (Shaktar Donetsk), Fernando (Gremio), Gabriel (Cruzeiro), Gabriel Silva (Novara), Galhardo (Flamengo), Paulo Henrique Ganso (Santos), Giuliano (Dnipro), Henrique (Granada), Hernanes (Lazio), Hulk (Porto), Jefferson (Botafogo), Jonas (Valencia), Juan (Internazionale), Julio Cesar (Internazionale), Leandro Damiao (Internacional), Lucas (Sao Paulo), Lucas Mendes (Coritiba), Luisao (Benfica), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Marquinhos (Corinthians), Neto (Fiorentina), Neymar (Santos), Oscar (Internacional), Philippe Coutinho (Espanyol), Rafael (Manchester United), Rafael Cabral (Santos), Renan Ribeiro (Atletico Mineiro), Romario (Internacional), Romulo (Vasco), Ronaldinho Gaucho (Flamengo), Sandro (Tottenham), Thiago Silva (Milan), Wellington Nem (Fluminense), Willian Jose (Sao Paulo).

Teixeira Stands Down at CBF

Ricardo Teixeira stood down as head of the Brazilian Football Federation and the 2014 World Cup organising committee on health grounds.

He announced over the weekend he would be taking a leave of absence due to his health and on Monday confirmed his departure was permanent.

A statement read: 'I leave the presidency of the CBF (national federation) permanently with the sense of mission accomplished.

'It's not easy to preside passion. Football in our country is associated with two things: talent and disorganisation.

'When we win, talent is praised. When we lose, it's about disorganisation.

'I did what was within my reach, sacrificing my health. I was criticised in the losses and undervalued in the victories.'

Teixeira has had moments of controversy during his leadership of the CBF but can also point to the highlight of two World Cup victories, in 1994 and 2002.

Just last week there was speculation he would stand down due to accusations of impropriety but state federations voted unanimously for him to stay.

In 2001, the Brazilian Congress investigated Teixeira on suspicion of 13 crimes, including tax evasion, money laundering and misleading lawmakers, but no charges were brought.

He has also been investigated for allegedly taking kickbacks from a marketing firm that worked closely with FIFA in the 1990s.

He denied all the allegations and has never been convicted of any offence.

Teixeira also came under fire from FIFA last week with secretary general Jerome Valcke expressing his concern over the lack of progress on preparations for the 2014 World Cup.

Valcke said Brazilian organisers needed a kick up the backside - a comment which led to the country's government saying they no longer wanted to deal with him.

Brazil's sports minister Aldo Rebelo said Valcke's comments were 'unacceptable' and inaccurate.

Teixeira Remains as Head of CFB

The former son in law of the ex FIFA President, Joan Havelange, is to stay on as the head of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) despite recent calls for his resignation amid renewed corruption allegations.

Local football federations voted unanimously to confirm Mr Teixeira in the post he has held for 23 years.

He is also to remain as head of Brazil's organising committee for the 2014 World Cup.

Mr Teixeira, 64, has always denied any wrongdoing.

There had been growing media speculation that Mr Teixeira would stand down, after new corruption allegations surfaced.

But in the end the football federations in Brazil's states gave their backing to Mr Teixeira.

"The participants declared once again, unanimously, their support for President Ricardo Teixeira," a CBF statement said after an extraordinary general assembly.

However, Brazilian media reported that Mr Teixeira may take a leave of absence in the near future for medical reasons.

In 2001, the Brazilian Congress investigated Mr Teixeira on suspicion of 13 crimes, including tax evasion, money laundering and misleading lawmakers, but no charges were brought.

Mr Teixeira has also been investigated for allegedly taking kickbacks from marketing firm ISL, which worked closely with Fifa in the 1990s.

He denied the accusation as "nonsense".

RICARDO TEIXEIRA

President of Brazilian Football Confederation since 1989

Six terms in office

Final say on hiring and firing national team coaches

Brazil won 1994 and 2002 World Cup under his command

Head of 2014 World Cup Organising Committee

Divorced Lucia Havelange, daughter of ex-Fifa president Joao Havelange, in 1997 after 30 years of marriage