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The Brazilian FA has explained why none of their players were issued with the No24 shirt for the Copa America amid homophobia claims.

The number is associated with homosexuality in Brazil and a judge demanded to know why none of their players were assigned it for the tournament.

Brazil is the only one of the 10 Copa America teams that do not have a No24.

In usual tournaments, squads are capped at 23 players and the numbers 1-23 are selected accordingly.

But to allow for any squad changes as a result of Covid-19, the squad limit was increased - Brazil has 24 players in theirs - and the shirt numbers to select from extended to 1-30.

Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz was Brazil's extra man and he has been wearing the No25 shirt.

Manchester City keeper Ederson has No23 but there is no player between the pair with No24.

The link to homosexuality comes from Brazil's illegal street gambling game 'Jogo do Bicho' (The Animal Game).

With each number in the game corresponding to a different animal, the 24 was assigned to the deer ('veado' in Portuguese). The issue, though, is that 'viado' is also a common homophobic slur in Brazil.

Many Brazilian players in the past have refused to wear the number for their clubs.