Dorival Júnior is expected to assume the role of head coach for the Brazilian national team after parting ways with São Paulo.

On Sunday, São Paulo announced that Dorival Júnior has stepped down from his role as head coach to become the new manager of Brazil’s national team.

After the CBF was unable to hire Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who decided to stay at Real Madrid, Dorival, 61, was the top candidate for the Seleção position. This came after months of rumors connecting Ancelotti to the job.

Last week, the CBF declared that they had terminated the appointment of Fernando Diniz, who had been serving as the interim coach while also coaching Fluminense, in order to hire a permanent coach to lead the team in preparation for the 2026 World Cup. Tite, the previous full-time head coach of Brazil, had stepped down from his position following their unexpected elimination in the quarter-finals against Croatia during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

During Diniz’s leadership, Brazil faced difficulties in World Cup qualification, suffering defeats to Uruguay, Colombia, and Argentina consecutively in October and November. Dorival’s initial match as manager will be a friendly against England at Wembley on March 23. He will then guide his team in the Copa America held in the USA this summer.

The São Paulo Football Club released a statement on X stating that coach Dorival Júnior has departed from the team, as he has requested to take on the role of managing the Brazilian national team.

Dorival achieved victory for Flamengo in the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup in 2022, and later went on to coach São Paulo. He has also served as coach for Atlético Mineiro, Athletico Paranaense, Internacional, Vasco da Gama, Fluminense, and Palmeiras.

In his statement, he expressed that this was a fulfillment of his personal dream, made possible by the recognition he received for his work in São Paulo. He also extended his gratitude to the fans for their love and support.

The president of São Paulo, Julio Casares, stated: “Inviting Dorival is another indication that we are heading in the right direction. We just have to wish him the best of luck in his new endeavor.”

Source: theguardian.com