Brazil soccer team captain Cafu said here on Tuesday that Brazilians blame him for the team's defeat to France in the quarter-final of the World Cup.

Brazil's captain Cafu arrives at the Cumbica International airport in Sao Paulo July 3, 2006, as the Brazilian national soccer team returned from Germany after being knocked out of the World Cup 2006 when they lost their quarter-final match against France.[Reuters]

Cafu is upset with the media, which pictures him as a loser. "The image that is going to remain is the one of me raising the trophy in the 2002 World Cup, not the one of a defeated athlete. I do not want to be seen as a criminal," he said.

The wingback is the athlete who played the greatest number of matches for Brazil ever. He participated in four World Cups as a first choice player -- 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006, of which he won two championship titles in 1994 and 2002 and ranked second in 1998. He does not consider retiring yet.

"If possible, I would like to return to the team, but that will depend on the coach. I will always be available, I am always moved by dressing that yellow jersey," stressed the 36-year-old wingback. He added that only time would tell when to stop playing football, as he did not imagine he would be playing in Germany this year.

The elimination of the team in the Cup raised the subject of a renewal of its players. According to Cafu, the media changed its mind very quickly. "After the victory over Ghana, they said I ran a lot, that I was in great shape. From that match to the one against France, it is like I aged 10 years, for the media," he said.