Santos playmaker Lucas Lima will wear Brazil’s coveted No. 10 shirt during next month’s centenary edition of the Copa America, the Brazilian football confederation said on Tuesday.
The shirt made famous by Pele became available after Barcelona refused to release Brazil’s regular No. 10 for the continental tournament in the US. Lima, 25, has been capped eight times for Brazil and scored one goal.
Neymar has worn the Selecao’s No. 10 shirt since assuming it from midfielder Oscar before the 2013 Confederations Cup in Brazil.
Brazil will face Panama in a friendly in Denver on May 29 before debuting in the Copa America against Ecuador in Pasadena on June 4.
The Selecao’s remaining group matches are against Haiti in Orlando on June 8 and Peru in Boston four days later. The final will be played at the 83,000-seat MetLife stadium in New Jersey on June 26.
