Brazil Eye Carlo Ancelotti After Sacking Dorival Junior As Head Coach

Coach Dorival Junior was dismissed from his role as the head coach of the Brazilian national football team on Friday, March 28, and Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti has emerged as his potential successor.

The decision to dismiss Dorival Junior was officially announced by the Confederation of Brazilian Football (CBF), just three days after a disheartening 4-1 defeat to their arch-rivals Argentina in World Cup qualifying.

In a statement, the CBF expressed their gratitude: “Dorival Junior is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team. The management thanks him and wishes him success in the rest of his career.”

Dorival, 62, had been at the helm since January 2024, taking over from interim coach Fernando Diniz. However, his tenure was marred by a series of lackluster performances, leading to concerns about Brazil’s prospects in the ongoing qualifying campaign for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The five-time World Cup winners currently sit in fourth place on the South American qualifying table, trailing 10 points behind the defending world champions Argentina, who have already secured their spot in the finals.

Brazil are also positioned behind Ecuador and Uruguay, creating a precarious situation as there are only six automatic qualifying spots available for South American teams.

Looking ahead, Brazil’s upcoming matches in the qualifying round include a visit to Ecuador on June 4 and a home game against Paraguay on June 9. These games are critical if Brazil hope to improve their standing and ensure qualification for the World Cup.

The writing seemed to be on the wall for Dorival after the crushing defeat in Buenos Aires, a result that he was quick to take responsibility for.

“Nobody expected what we saw today, and the responsibility is entirely mine,” he admitted in his post-match comments, acknowledging the need for accountability in light of the team’s performance.

Before leading the Selecao, Dorival Junior had experienced considerable success at the club level, winning domestic titles with both Flamengo and Sao Paulo.

His appointment as national coach came after months of speculation regarding the potential hiring of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is currently with Real Madrid.

According to Brazilian media sources, Ancelotti’s name has resurfaced as a potential candidate to take over the reins following Dorival’s departure, alongside Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, who is presently in charge of Al Hilal in Saudi Arabia.