Julio Cesar accepts Brazil career is over

Goalkeeper Julio Cesar accepted on Saturday that his international career is finished after Brazil's FIFA World Cup campaign ended in disappointment. "This is probably my last World Cup," he said after his country's 3-0 defeat against the Netherlands in the third-place play-off in Brasilia.

"To play at the Copa America in 2015, at the age of 35, would be quite complicated. To go there without having the 2018 World Cup in mind would be selfish on my part."

Having been blamed for Brazil's 2-1 defeat by the same opponents that saw them exit the 2010 World Cup at the quarter-final stage, the former Inter Milan goalkeeper returned to the fold last year, when Luiz Felipe Scolari recalled him after taking charge of the national team.

Now at Toronto FC in Canada, he was hailed as a hero after Brazil beat Chile on penalties in the last 16 two weeks ago. But he could do little to help his side in last Tuesday's 7-1 semi-final hammering at the hands of Germany.

"It is a sad moment for Brazilian football," he said, after winning his 86th cap. "Now I think it is time to relax and try to forget about all of this. The time has come for other goalkeepers and I think Brazil has seven or eight who are quite capable of pulling on the national jersey."