Dorival Junior appointed as Brazil new coach

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced Wednesday that former Sao Paulo manager Dorival Junior has been named coach of the Brazilian men’s national team, taking over the five-time world champions following a string of bad defeats.

Dorival, whose appointment was revealed by his old club on Sunday, will be formally presented at CBF headquarters in Rio de Janeiro on Thursday, the confederation said in a statement.

The CBF did not define the duration of his contract. According to Brazilian media reports, it will last until the World Cup in 2026.

He succeeds fellow Brazilian Fernando Diniz, who held the position on an interim basis from July 2023 until his dismissal last Friday.

Under Diniz, the “Selecao” had lost three consecutive World Cup qualifiers, including a devastating 1-0 defeat at home to archrivals Argentina in November.

Fans are hoping that Dorival might recreate the spark that Brazil has struggled to replicate since winning the World Cup in 2002.

The 61-year-old veteran guided Sao Paulo to the Copa do Brasil title last year and earlier led Flamengo to the 2022 Copa do Brasil and Copa Libertadores, South America’s version of Europe’s Champions League.

He will make his debut in March, when Brazil faces England and Spain in a pair of friendlies.

Dorival takes on the job during a difficult period in Brazilian football.

The “Selecao” has struggled with injuries, most notably star Neymar, who suffered a damaged knee ligament in a 2-0 loss to Uruguay in October and is expected to be out for months.

Brazil is presently ranked sixth in South America’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the continent’s final automatic qualifying slot.

Meanwhile, the CBF has been mired in a complex legal struggle over its leadership, with its president, Ednaldo Rodrigues, removed from office by a court judgment in December, only to be reinstated by a Supreme Court judge this week.

In the meantime, Rodrigues’ attempt to lure Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti to coach Brazil failed when the Italian extended his contract with the Spanish club.