The Dorival era in Brazilian football began with bold promises. In September last year, Dorival Júnior confidently declared, “We will play in the 2026 World Cup final. I am 100% sure.” Despite Brazil’s current struggles, it was hard to dismiss his words. After all, Brazil is a football powerhouse capable of bouncing back from any setback.
That dream may still come true, but if it does, Dorival will no longer be the hero of the story. He was sacked 14 months before the World Cup, ending his 14-month tenure with Brazil in failure.
Brazil’s painful chapter began with their quarter-final exit against Croatia in the 2022 Qatar World Cup. Since then, things have only worsened. The recent sacking of Dorival is just another blow in this ongoing period of disappointment.
After the World Cup, then-coach Tite stepped down. The search for a new coach divided Brazilian football legends — some, like Ronaldo Nazário, favored a foreign coach, while others, including Rivaldo, pushed for a local option. As debates dragged on, Brazil relied on interim coaches.
In July 2023, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced that Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti would take over after the 2024 Copa América, with Fernando Diniz as the interim coach. But things changed in November when Ancelotti renewed his contract with Real Madrid. In the midst of this drama, Dorival emerged as the new head coach, riding high after domestic success with Flamengo and São Paulo.
Dorival started strong, leading Brazil to a 1-0 win over England at Wembley and a 3-3 draw against Spain in Santiago Bernabéu. However, their performances soon declined. Brazil remained unbeaten but struggled to impress.
Their weaknesses were fully exposed in a recent World Cup qualifier against Argentina, where Brazil was thoroughly outplayed. In the Copa América, Brazil started with a goalless draw against Costa Rica, beat Paraguay 4-1, but drew again with Colombia. They were then eliminated by Uruguay in the quarter-finals after a 4-2 loss in a penalty shootout.
In the World Cup qualifiers, Brazil continued to struggle against weaker teams, with poor coordination in attack, defensive frailties, and a lack of midfield control. Even in wins, their performances were unconvincing. The 4-1 thrashing by Argentina was the final blow.
After such a dismal run, Dorival’s exit seemed inevitable. Last night, CBF officially announced his departure. In 16 matches under his leadership, Brazil won 7, drew 7, and lost 2. But now the question remains — what’s next?
With Dorival gone, all eyes are back on Ancelotti. Other names, like Jorge Jesus and Filipe Luís, are also in the mix. But will changing the coach fix Brazil’s deeper issues? With only a year left until the World Cup, the new coach will need to achieve something extraordinary.
Brazil certainly has star players — Vinícius, Raphinha, and Rodrygo rank among the world’s best. But the gap between them and the rest is significant, and it shows in Brazil’s inconsistent performances.
Dorival may be gone, but Brazil’s problems remain. Right now, the only hope is in the name — Brazil.
