Dorival Junior left his position as coach of São Paulo to take over the Brazilian National Team, the club announced in a statement.
A Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) had already announced that Fernando Diniz, appointed interim last year, was dismissed and that a new coach would take over to prepare the team for the 2026 World Cup.
Dorival was the CBF’s preferred choice for the position after the Confederation failed to hire Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who opted to extend his contract with Real Madrid.
Dorival led Flamengo to the Copa Libertadores and Copa do Brasil titles in 2022 before joining São Paulo. He has also coached Atlético Mineiro, Athletico Paranaense, Internacional, Vasco da Gama, Fluminense, and Palmeiras.
He stated in the released statement that it was “the realization of a personal dream, which was only possible because I received recognition for the work done at São Paulo.”
Brazil is currently in sixth place in the South American World Cup qualifying standings, having won only two of six matches and suffered three defeats.
The 2026 World Cup, for the first time in the tournament’s history, will be hosted in three countries: Canada, the United States, and Mexico.
Source: Reuters