The Brazilian Football Confederation, CBF, has announced the sack of the national coach after losing 4-1 to their fiercest rivals in Argentina during a World Cup qualifier. This comes in the wake of building discontent over Brazil’s performance under him.
Since his coaching tenure in January 2024, Dorival has won just seven matches in 16 recorded matches. This has left Brazil fourth in the CONMEBOL standings, some ten points adrift of group leaders Argentina.
He also saw early elimination from that Copa América by an abrasive Uruguay, which has put him increasingly under the spotlight about his capabilities to engineer the team toward the 2026 World Cup.
It was rumored that the CBF was to grant him some more time, but that one will end with this historic defeat in Buenos Aires, as Brazil has never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier, and an extremely poor qualifying campaign looms ahead.
A Rocky Tenure and a Painful Sunset
Many fans and analysts expected Dorival Junior would come and stabilize the Brazilian squad. Having lifted the Copa Libertadores with Flamengo, he kept a pretty impressive resume.
His approach was tactically focused more on attacking football, and he got the above with disappointing results.
Brazil started off the qualifying campaign well, actually beating all the weak rivals, and lost their way against the high-flying Argentinians and Uruguayans.
There was an absolute lack of defensive organization, plus offensive build-up proved to be a disaster under his tactics. This failure was evident as star players Neymar and Casemiro struggled under his system.
When Argentina’s separate and ruthless football exposed Brazil’s weaknesses, the turning point came in Buenos Aires.
The 4-1 defeat was more than merely a lost game; it was a veritable shaming of a side accustomed to taking pride in its history in football.
Outrage among Brazilian fans and media called for immediate measures, thus leaving the CBF with no choice but to act quickly.
Check out: Argentina’s historic 4-1 victory against Brazil in a World Cup qualifier.
Who Could Replace Dorival?
With speculation around Carlo Ancelotti’s future, the CBF is looking for a successor now. Reports say that CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues has already approached Ancelotti in 2022 and 2023, but the Italian coach renewed his contract with Real Madrid.
The name of Ancelotti has become so much bigger with the relationship he has with Brazilians, as, for instance, VinÃcius Júnior, Rodrygo, and Eder Militão.
He is always appealing for his prowess in dealing with star players in addition to his tactical flexibility, though there is little chance of convincing him to leave Real Madrid for Brazil.
Other possible candidates are Fernando Diniz, who briefly held the role of interim coach of Brazil before the hiring of Dorival, and some analysts argue that Brazil might hire someone who is better acquainted with the local football culture, maybe along the lines of Abel Ferreira, the Palmeiras manager who is making waves with his tactical innovation in the Brazilian league.
What’s Next for Brazil?
The CBF is going to have to act fast to find the right candidate before the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay, scheduled for June. Brazil cannot afford to slip further down the CONMEBOL table and into potential disaster.
Rebuild a fractured squad’s confidence, but do it in a style that matches the performances of the current cast of stars: from VinÃcius Júnior and Rodrygo, through to the younger stars Endrick and Andrey Santos.
There will have to be a manager who gets the best out of them.
And the biggest yet is the defensive dilemma within the team. Historically, Brazil boasted potent attacking prowess; nowadays, recent performances have been highlighting how vulnerable they are defensively.
Thus, the new manager will have to find a solution pretty early into his appointment to put in place a more organized defense.
The Pressure is On
No one understands this better than the Brazilian soccer player who plays under really tough conditions, always under pressure.
With hopes so sky-high from the fans, everyone taking charge of the national team is expected to add a trophy and keep the nation alive as a footballing powerhouse. Dorival’s sacking reminds one that patience in Brazilian football is rare.
There is still a search for the new manager. One thing is that at this point, Brazil cannot afford to make another error.
The squad needs stability, guidance, and a captain who can return them to the top table of global dominance as the 2026 World Cup draws near.
The next several months will be crucial in determining the immediate future of Brazilian football, regardless of whether the CBF is able to acquire a well-known player like Ancelotti or find indigenous potential.
But for now, the Selecao Canarinho needs to reorganize, refocus, and get ready for the fights that lie ahead.
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