Brazil fires coach Dorival Júnior after worst defeat in World Cup qualifying

Brazil coach Dorival Júnior was fired on Friday after 14 months amid poor results and disappointing performances from the national team.

Júnior’s sacking by Brazilian Football Confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues came three days after a 4-1 defeat to bitter rival Argentina in Buenos Aires, Brazil’s heaviest defeat in a World Cup qualifier.

“The confederation announces that Dorival Júnior’s cycle is over,” Rodrigues told media in Rio de Janeiro. “From now on, we will work in the search for a substitute. Much has been said about [the confederation] contacting A, B or C coach, but I should say that [comment] was never coming from this president or anyone that the president authorized.”

Brazil is fifth in South American qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. The top six qualify automatically.

Under the 62-year-old Júnior, Brazil won seven matches, drew another seven, and lost two. But it has won only one of its last four games. The team scored 25 goals and conceded 17.

In the Copa América last year, Brazil was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Uruguay on penalties.

Rodrigues was just re-elected on Monday to head the confederation to 2030. In 2023, he bet on Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to take over one year later.

While waiting for Ancelotti, Brazil had under-20 coach Ramon Menezes as an interim then hired Fernando Diniz. Diniz was fired in January 2024 after two wins, one draw and three losses on the job and Ancelotti extended his contract in Spain.

The last time Brazil had three coaches between World Cups was before its latest title in 2002. Luiz Felipe Scolari took the job one year before the tournament in Japan and South Korea.

Local media reported that Rodrigues will make another approach to Ancelotti and that Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus is also being considered. Either the Italian or the Portuguese coach would become Brazil’s first ever foreign coach if a deal is reached.

Brazil’s next two South American qualifying matches are in June at second-placed Ecuador and at home against sixth-placed Paraguay.

Ancelotti’s Real Madrid and Jesus’ Al-Hilal are scheduled to play that month in the Club World Cup in the United States.

Reporting by The Associated Press.

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