A little over a year before the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian national team needs a new coach. Dorival Junior was relieved of his duties after the 4-1 defeat against Argentina.
It was already clear during the qualifier at world champions Argentina that a thrashing in the most prestigious international match in South America would not leave the Brazilian national team unscathed. Now it is certain: it will also have personnel consequences. As the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) announced on Friday, head coach Dorival Junior has been relieved of his duties. “The board thanks Dorival and wishes him success in his future career. From now on, the CBF will work to find a successor,” the association wrote in the statement.
Shortly after the game, association president Ednaldo Rodrigues had announced that he wanted to talk to the head coach ‘in peace’. According to Brazilian media reports, this conversation was to take place on Friday – and resulted in the dismissal of the 62-year-old coach. The coach himself had apologized to the fans after the game and spoken of “perhaps the most delicate moment of my career”.
Dorival Junior took over as head coach at the beginning of 2024, succeeding Fernando Diniz. However, the Selecao only managed to win seven of the 16 games he has managed. At the Copa America, they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay, losing 4-2 on penalties. In the World Cup qualifiers, the team is well on course to qualify, but is only in fourth place behind Argentina, Ecuador and Uruguay.
