Dorival Jr is the new coach of the Brazilian National Team

After the confirmation of Carlo Ancelotti’s renewal with Real Madrid, the CBF chooses Dorival Jr to take over Fernando Diniz’s position as the coach of the Brazilian National Team.

Follow with us the paths that led to this choice, the coach’s history, expectations, and his presentation.

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CBF doesn’t stick with Diniz and won’t have Ancelotti

President Ednaldo Rodrigues added another unprecedented shame to his resume.

The problem is that, as the leader of the Brazilian football’s governing body, he ends up tarnishing the image of the world’s greatest national team.

As reported by all portals correctly, in July 2023, the President assured that Carlo Ancelotti would take over as the coach of the Brazilian team.

The coach, on the other hand, never stated at any time that the deal was sealed or that he had any kind of agreement with the entity.

Meanwhile, Fernando Diniz was brought in as a “stop-gap” solution, waiting for the Italian to arrive.

Look, Ancelotti is one of the greatest coaches in football history, absolutely undeniable. However, we shouldn’t confuse things. The Brazilian National Team represents 217 million people, boasting the title of the greatest World Cup champion and home to the best players to ever set foot on a pitch. Regardless of who it is, the green and yellow colors don’t wait for anyone, even if it’s an icon like Ancelotti.

In any case, after the denial phase and Diniz’s failure, Ednaldo and the CBF waited for the news of Carlo’s renewal with Real Madrid to then announce Dorival Jr as the coach.

Notice how these actions left the organization, the squad, and the fans in an extremely vulnerable situation.

Absolute unpreparedness, especially when considering the traditional political war for control of the Confederation, accusations of vote-buying, Ednaldo’s removal from office, and the possibility of the National Team’s exclusion from competitions (as well as Brazilian clubs).

These factors are reflected on the field. If Brazil doesn’t win the next World Cup, it will face the longest drought in its history.

As if that weren’t enough, Diniz’s performance was considered the worst of all time, but the blame for the coach, although it exists, is minimal compared to the circus that was set up around him.

Imagine taking on this important position, knowing in advance that it will be temporary, so that another coach takes your place and implements his own style of play.

This, while juggling your club work at the most crucial moment of your career, about to play in a Libertadores final and Club World Cup.

Not to mention the difficulty of implementing the playing style, the popular “Dinizismo,” which requires a lot of repetition and teamwork.

In summary, since Tite’s departure, the Canaries have experienced their most humiliating and sad days in their existence.

Dorival Jr is the chosen one for better days.

Image: Mauro Pimentel / AFP

Who is Dorival Jr?

Dorival Jr is a former football player. He was a consistent midfielder during his playing days.

Also known simply as Júnior, Dorival played for important clubs like Palmeiras, Grêmio, and Coritiba, in addition to playing for several teams in the countryside of São Paulo.

Image: Reproduction NetVasco

Dorival continued to do excellent work, winning state championships with Coritiba and Sport.

However, it was in 2009 that he gained national prominence, winning the Serie B with Vasco da Gama and bringing them back to Serie A after what was, until then, their first relegation.

Success with Vasco led to an irresistible offer.

Santos was assembling one of the greatest Brazilian teams of the century. With Neymar and Ganso already matured in the 2009 regular season, President Laor signed Robinho to play half the season alongside these stars.

Thus, Dorival became known throughout the continent. He won the Paulista and the Copa do Brasil, marked by the best attack in the competition’s history, with 39 goals in 11 games. Astonishing.

However, what could have been just a bed of roses was not. One episode changed Dorival’s career.

In a match between Santos and Atlético Goianiense at Vila Belmiro, Neymar was fouled and went to take the penalty.

The problem was that the striker had been on a negative penalty streak. For this reason, Dorival ordered Marcel, the team’s center forward, to take the penalty.

Neymar, in an extremely immature manner, showing a lack of manners, responded to the coach with insults and anger.

The young player had to be restrained by Marquinhos, one of the more experienced players in the squad. The entire scene was captured by cameras and featured in sports programs around the world.

Santos found itself in a complicated situation. Either part ways with its best player in recent times or show a lack of leadership by overruling Dorival.

The second option was chosen. Júnior left his position in 2010, after enchanting Brazil. He was even awarded the Telê Santana Award, being elected the best coach of 2010.

Image: Reproduction “Os Donos da Bola – Rede Bandeirantes”

The following years were not easy for Dorival Jr. He won important titles soon after, such as the Gaúcho in 2012 and the South American Recopa in 2011 with Internacional.

However, except for his return to Santos in 2015, where he did a great job but was defeated by Palmeiras in the Copa do Brasil final, he only became a champion again in 2020, with the Paranaense title with Athletico.

This title was celebrated a lot, and rightfully so. It marked the coach’s return to the sidelines after overcoming prostate cancer.

However, Dorival showed Brazil and all those who follow his career that he wouldn’t give up easily.

He seemed to enter that traditional style of Brazilian coach, where success is achieved for a few years but soon becomes a stopgap, with short and less relevant stints at clubs.

So, in 2022, the opportunity came to coach Ceará. He seized the opportunity with determination, having a great campaign with Vozão.

Flamengo, the highest-investment team, noticed his good work and decided to take him from Ceará.

This decision had a cascading effect. Ceará, which was having a good Brazilian championship, ended up relegated to Serie B.

Meanwhile, Flamengo, which seemed unable to find the right coaches, saw a 2022 without prospects end with victories in the Copa do Brasil and the Copa Libertadores.

Image: Paula Reis/Flamengo

Simply incredible.

While other Flamengo coaches wanted to impose their playing style without any compromise, Dorival Jr won over a squad filled with talents and egos.

The players played freely, making it inevitable for them to triumph in knockout competitions.

However, Dorival had to prove himself as a true warrior once again.

Even with undeniable victories, Flamengo chose to dismiss him and hire Vitor Pereira. The Portuguese had even told Corinthians, the club he coached before, that he wouldn’t continue due to health problems with his mother-in-law.

Apparently, these issues were resolved quickly, as Vitor Pereira took over Flamengo and had an absolutely pathetic performance, losing in the Club World Cup semifinal, the Supercopa, and the Carioca Championship.

As if that weren’t enough, the football gods played their part, and Flamengo, which had parted ways with Dorival, reached the Copa do Brasil final.

The opponent? Dorival himself, who was in charge of São Paulo. The outcome? Dorival Jr, the Copa do Brasil champion with São Paulo, a title they had never won before.

Thus, everything seemed right for Dorival to start the season leading São Paulo. He had the total support of the fans and the board, thanks to the title the club coveted the most.

However, the opportunity to coach the Brazilian National Team came to the coach’s table. He didn’t hesitate and accepted the offer.

Image: Jorge Bevilacqua/ Estadão Conteudo

Where can Dorival Jr go leading the National Team?

Dorival Jr has always been considered a good coach for the national scene.

His career has been one that climbed gradually. He has always been a student of the game and undoubtedly has his playing style.

He is a coach who values ball possession. He likes to dictate the game at the pace his team finds interesting. At times, his teams may play a bit slowly, as was the case with São Paulo.

However, when we look at the Santos team of 2010 and Flamengo in 2022, we see a vertical and incredibly fast style of play.

All of this depended on the players Dorival had at his disposal. São Paulo, for example, didn’t have wingers and fast-paced midfielders, so it was more interesting for Júnior that the team circulated the ball from side to side until finding the necessary space.

Another very striking aspect of his work is the short-space triangulations. Dorival usually sets up the team in a 4-3-3 formation, grouping three players in each sector, close to the ball.

That is, the center-back associates with the defensive midfielder and the full-back for ball distribution. Once the first line is broken, the central midfielder associates with the attacking midfielder and the full-back or winger, and so on.

Given the quality of Brazilian players and, especially, their ability to play in tight spaces due to futsal training, it could be a very interesting approach.

Another fundamental point is the instant effect that Dorival has with his arrival. While some jobs take a while to be implemented, the coach can offer a response in the first moments of his arrival, giving great confidence to his players.

Moreover, he is undeniably a charismatic figure. Highly respected in the football community, whether by retired or active players, other coaches, and even the media, he is considered a unique human being with irrefutable character.

The point that raises eyebrows for some commentators is that Dorival wouldn’t have a sufficient resume, and he hasn’t had significant stints at clubs recently.

However, the question for these doubts is: how has a coach not had convincing stints recently, winning two Copa do Brasil titles and a Copa Libertadores? Flamengo hasn’t won any titles since Dorival left, and they’ve had Vitor Pereira, Jorge Sampaoli, and finally, when everything was on the brink of disaster, Tite, who couldn’t do anything.

Dorival has charisma, a track record, and a very concrete football philosophy.

In his presentation, he made the following remarks:

“It’s a pleasure, I’m sincerely moved, after everything I’ve lived, everything I’ve been through. And especially in the last six, seven years, overcoming two very difficult moments within my home, my family. My wife with a very aggressive cancer, shortly after I was diagnosed as well. This strengthened me even more, and I was able to rethink aspects of my career. It’s almost 54 years in which football has lived within my home.

…

From now on, it’s not Dorival’s National Team, it’s the National Team of the Brazilian people.”

 

Image: Pilar Olivares/Reuters

He emphasized the need to start winning again urgently and to bring the Brazilian fans back to embrace the national team, a relationship that has remained strained since 2014, with the eternal 7-1.

His debut is scheduled for March, when Brazil will face England and Spain in friendly matches.

Finally, there’s no way to predict if Dorival is, after all, the right person for the job. In any case, we can bet on his favorable track record. Do you believe he will stay until the end of his contract, which is until 2026? Will he put Brazil back on the path to victory? Comment!

Written by Vitor F L Miller.