Dorival Junior Dismissed as Brazil Coach Following Stinging Defeat to Argentina

Brazil has parted ways with head coach Dorival Jr, as announced by the country’s football confederation (CBF) on Friday. This decision follows a crushing 4-1 defeat against arch-rivals Argentina in a qualifying match held in Buenos Aires, marking a significant low for the five-time world champions.

The 62-year-old took the reins in January 2024 after the team was managed by two interim coaches for a year, unable to secure the services of Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.

“The Brazilian Football Confederation announces that coach Dorival Jr is no longer overseeing the Brazilian national team,” stated the confederation in an official release.

“We express our gratitude to (Dorival) and wish him all the best in his future endeavours… the CBF will commence the search for a new head coach,” the statement continued.

Dorival was appointed following a successful tenure at Flamengo in 2022, where he claimed both the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, which he lifted once more the following year with Sao Paulo. However, he struggled to adjust to the national team and failed to garner the faith of Brazil’s passionate supporters, managing just seven wins from his 16 matches in charge.

According to sources, the CBF lacked confidence in Dorival’s abilities, believing there had been minimal progress since a disappointing Copa America run, where Brazil was eliminated by Uruguay in the quarter-finals last year.

Initially, the CBF was prepared to evaluate the situation following the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July, with World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay on the horizon.

However, after Brazil suffered their heaviest ever qualifying defeat at the hands of Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues opted to make a change.

Preferred Successor

Sources indicated to Reuters that Ancelotti remains the preferred choice, although he is under contract with Real Madrid until July 2026, with no signs of a departure from the European and Spanish champions.

Reports from Brazilian media suggest that Jorge Jesus, the Portuguese coach at Al Hilal, is the frontrunner to take over from Dorival.

Brazil has been in a precarious position for over two years, having been eliminated from the 2022 World Cup by Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a disheartening exit that prompted the departure of long-standing manager Tite.

The heavy loss in Buenos Aires adds to a string of poor performances from Brazil under interim coaches Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz, as well as under Dorival. Never before had they conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.

Currently, Brazil is experiencing their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign, sitting fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, just one point ahead of sixth-placed Colombia, who occupy the final automatic qualifying spot.

Never before have Brazil endured so many defeats or conceded so many goals in the qualifying rounds. They have lost five of their 14 matches and given away 16 goals.

Brazil’s 1-0 loss to Argentina at the Maracana late in 2023 marked their first qualifying defeat on home soil.

They also fell to Colombia for the first time, ended a remarkable unbeaten streak against Uruguay that dated back over 20 years, and suffered defeats against Morocco and Senegal—teams they had never lost to before from Africa.