The Brazilian star was sent off against Holland in the quarter-finals of the World Cup.
“After the World Cup I no longer had the motivation to play,” Melo told La Repubblica.
“I had no joy in it anymore and had decided to leave football. I played a decent World Cup, but in Brazil everyone said we had gone out because of me.
“Those who understand football know that we were going to go out anyway. You just had to look in the eyes of the Dutch players before my red card to realise it.
“I am not an angel, but I understood that I could be hard without going over the top.”
