Soccer: Scolari defends right to select striker Costa for Brazil

Striker Diego Costa must chose between Spain and Brazil. Photo / AP

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says Diego Costa shouldn't be allowed to play for Spain and refuses to give up his right to select the striker for Brazil's national team.

Scolari said he's the "only one who can have a say about whether the athlete will be picked" for Brazil ahead of next year's World Cup. The coach added it's his "right to choose" the player, not Spain's.

Scolari said Costa shouldn't have the option to play for another country because he has already played two friendly matches with Brazil this year.

The Brazilian-born player holds a Spanish passport and has never played an official match for Brazil, so soccer's world governing body Fifa would allow him to play for Spain.

"After playing two friendlies with Brazil like he did, he can't be playing for another national team," Scolari said.

The Atletico Madrid striker was summoned by Scolari for friendlies against Italy and Russia in March.

Costa has already said that if called up by Spain he would be willing to play for the world champions.

But he may have a tough decision to make if Scolari adds his name to the Brazilian national team squad in less than two weeks.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said it's up to Costa to decide if he wants to play for his adopted country or his native Brazil. He said "we have done everything we need to, now it's the player's personal decision".

"I'm the only one who can have a say about whether the athlete will be picked" for Brazil, Scolari said. "Nobody else can know that."

Costa helped Atletico Madrid to a club record start of eight straight wins in the Spanish league, scoring 10 goals.

The Brazilian coach said the top candidates for the World Cup title next year include Germany, Spain, Argentina, Colombia, England and the Netherlands.

- AP