Martin Rogers

USA TODAY Sports

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazil’s women’s soccer team would be happy to see United States goalkeeper Hope Solo back out of the Olympic Games this summer due to concerns over the Zika virus, former star Aline Pellegrino said.

Pellegrino, who captained Brazil to the Olympic silver medal in 2004 and is one of the finest players her country has produced, responded strongly to Solo’s publicly voiced concerns about visiting the country.

"We all know that Solo likes to be very controversial when she speaks," Pellegrino told USA TODAY Sports at a Brazilian women’s league match this week. "Maybe she is really worried. But if she chooses not to come to Brazil, the Brazilian national team will not be very sad, as you can imagine."

USOC addresses Zika virus concerns

Solo, 34, told SI.com that she had grave reservations about visiting Brazil due to a lack of available information about the impact of the Zika outbreak.

Zika, a virus spread by mosquito bites and continuing to affect Brazilian society, has been linked to microcephaly cases in babies, although it is still prompting mixed opinion in medical circles.

"If I had to make the choice today, I wouldn’t go," Solo said.

Pelligrino retired from soccer three years ago and is now technical director of women’s soccer at Corinthians, a leading Brazilian team based in Sao Paulo.

IOC President Thomas Bach 'very confident' in response to Zika virus

She urged Solo to copy the example of the many American tourists who continue to travel to Brazil, even in the wake of the recent medical outbreak.

"I was in Rio and I saw so many Americans enjoying the Carnaval (street festival) last week, as if they don’t care about Zika," Pellegrino added.

Follow Martin Rogers on Twitter @mrogersUSAT.