Brazil has sacked head coach Dorival Júnior following a disappointing defeat to Argentina, as announced by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Friday. In the highly anticipated match held in Buenos Aires, Argentina dominated the game, securing a 4-1 victory over Brazil. This loss marks Brazil’s most substantial defeat in the history of World Cup qualifying matches, coming at a time when the team is still adjusting to key absences, including superstar Lionel Messi on the Argentine side.
In their statement, the CBF expressed their gratitude to Dorival Júnior for his contributions and efforts during his tenure, emphasizing the challenges faced in leading such a prestigious team. They conveyed their best wishes for his future endeavors. Looking ahead, the CBF confirmed that they will begin an immediate search for a new head coach who can guide the Brazilian National Team back to prominence on the international stage
Dorival fully accepted the blame for the team’s disappointing performance, but he remained optimistic about his ability to make improvements.
Following a successful meeting on Friday, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues and head coach Dorival have decided to part ways. At 62 years old, Dorival concludes his time with the Brazilian national team, finishing with a record of 7 wins, 7 draws, and 2 losses in 16 matches. As Brazil prepares for the upcoming tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico next year, their qualification status is still uncertain.
Dorival’s tenure faced several challenges, particularly the absence of Neymar, Brazil’s all-time top scorer, who has been dealing with ongoing injuries. He was brought in to provide stability after Brazil’s disappointing quarterfinal exit from the 2022 World Cup, where they lost to Croatia in a penalty shootout.
Appointing him as the head coach of the Brazillian national team was based on a strong history of success, notably his achievements with Flamengo in 2022, where he won both the Copa Libertadores and the Brazilian Cup, a title he also secured the following year with São Paulo. Although Dorival was not the CBF’s first choice—Rodrigues initially sought to hire Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid—his efforts during this transitional period will be recognized as Brazil looks to achieve greater success in the future.
Brazil achieved a 1-0 victory over England in a friendly match and played to a 3-3 draw against Spain during Dorival’s initial matches.
However, the team’s overall performance was inadequate. In July, criticism arose following Brazil’s exit from the Copa América, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Uruguay. The team secured only one win in the group stage and lost to Uruguay in a penalty shootout after a scoreless draw, despite Uruguay playing with ten men. Argentina, the 2022 World Cup champions, won the tournament.
A recent loss marked Brazil’s fifth defeat in the qualifying rounds and their first since a 1-0 loss to Paraguay in September. Despite featuring a strong attacking lineup, including Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo from Real Madrid, Raphinha from Barcelona, and Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers, Brazil managed only one shot on target in that match.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has not yet announced who will replace Dorival as the head coach. However, sources have reported that the current Portuguese coach of Al Hilal is the top candidate for the job.
Jesus previously had a successful stint coaching Flamengo in Rio de Janeiro, where he guided the team to win the prestigious Copa Libertadores in 2019. Carlo Ancelotti has also been mentioned as a possible replacement following Brazil’s recent loss to Argentina, but he confirmed his commitment to Real Madrid.
At a recent press conference, Ancelotti stated, “My contract is valid until June 2026, and it is straightforward. I hold immense respect for the Brazil national team, its players, and its supporters, but my commitment lies with Real Madrid.” Presently, Brazil is facing challenges in the World Cup qualifying rounds, currently positioned fourth in the South American standings with 21 points. This places them just one point ahead of Colombia, which is in sixth place and occupies the final direct qualifying position for the World Cup.
Brazil has never experienced such a high number of losses, goals conceded, or negative records in the qualifying rounds. The team has lost five out of 14 matches and allowed 16 goals. Brazil will be back in action in June, facing Ecuador away and hosting Paraguay in its upcoming World Cup qualifiers.
