Tite defends Brazil World Cup goal celebrations

Brazil coach Tite has hit back at criticism of his players' dancing goal celebrations in their World Cup win over South Korea, dismissing suggestions they showed a lack of respect.

The tournament favourites produced some carnival football as they crushed the Koreans 4-1 on Monday and celebrated their goals with choreographed moves, while even Tite himself joined in at one point.

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The celebrations divided opinion outside Brazil and the dancing by Neymar and his teammates has been one of the main talking points going into Friday's quarter-final clash with Croatia in Doha.

The 61-year-old, who is at his second World Cup as Brazil coach and is set to step down at the end of the tournament, hinted that he was not comfortable joining in the dancing but admitted he wanted to have a connection with his players.

"I am 61 and these players could almost be my grandsons but I have a connection with them," he said.

"If I have to dance I will dance, although I will do so subtly and I asked them to hide me. It is not my way."

The pressure on Brazil's new generation of stars is enormous as they look to win the World Cup for a record-extending sixth time, two decades after the Selecao last lifted the trophy in Japan in 2002.

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The question now is whether they can continue to play with the joy they displayed against South Korea as the tournament in Qatar reaches the business end, but Tite said it was all about the personality of his players.

"It is the identity of Brazilian football and of the generation that has emerged," said the veteran coach, who won the Club World Cup in charge of Corinthians