Brazil appoint Neymar as Olympic team captain

Verde-Amarela are placed in Group A in the first round along side Denmark, Iraq and South Africa

RIO DE JANEIRO: Brazil appointed Barcelona striker Neymar as the captain of the Olympic team on Thursday, and he was was hailed as "a good guy with a huge heart" by the coach Rogerio Micale.

Micale admitted that appointing the international star as skipper was an easy decision to make for a team who have never won football gold at the Olympics.

"Neymar has exceeded my expectations. He is appreciated, he's a good guy with a huge heart, especially around the younger players," said Micale. "He has shown that he is more than just a great player -- he's a great man admired by everybody."

The 47-year-old said he had no fears that Brazil could become a one-man team. "I want to be dependent on Neymar. What coach in the world would not want a Neymar in their team?"

At the Olympics, which get under way on August 5, Brazil are in Group A in the first round where they will face South Africa, Iraq and Denmark.