-
Tim Vickery, South America correspondent
The Brazilian national team is now coaching its third post-World Cup campaign. But, unlike the previous two, Dorival Jr. is not on standby. The 61-year-old left Sao Paulo to take charge of the national team until the 2026 World Cup.
Carlo Ancelotti’s waiting period has come to an end. Brazil realized they were waiting in vain at the end of last month when the Italian coach extended his current contract with Real Madrid, and Dorival’s appointment had something to do with Brazil’s courtship of Ancelotti.
– Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (US)
As a player, Dorival was a central midfielder, and there is something of a nomadic air about his coaching resume – since 2002 he has been in charge of 20 different teams in a total of 25 separate spells. But in the past few years, things have looked good for him. First, he survived a prostate cancer scare in 2019, then he started getting some serious titles.
In a regular season with Sao Paulo last year, he won the prestigious domestic cup. But the critical period was in the second half of 2022, when he took over as coach of Flamengo, the giant of Rio de Janeiro, in the short term after the failure of Portuguese coach Paulo Sousa. Dorival led the team to win the domestic cup and the Copa Libertadores, the South American Champions League.
His reward? His contract was not renewed, and Flamengo chose to sign another Portuguese coach, Vitor Pereira.
Dorival may not have been happy with the decision, but others were angry, especially when Pereira proved disappointing. Many, especially among the old guard, are unhappy with the recent foreign invasion of Brazilian coaching jobs. Of course, Ancelotti’s wait was a strong example of this trend. Dorival thus became a rallying point for those who favor local solutions. The whole furor has led to a sudden change in his status – from someone who during two spells at Flamengo was seen as a temporary solution, to the big long-term hope to coach Brazil, alongside Fluminense’s Fernando Diniz.
Diniz made the ill-advised decision to combine two jobs and take charge of the Brazilian national team in place of Ancelotti, perhaps looking to take over permanently should his courtship of the Italian leadership stall. A string of defeats and appalling performances have seen him eliminated – after six rounds, Brazil are sixth in the South American World Cup qualifiers – and so Dorival is the last man standing, the popular domestic choice to lead Brazil to the 2026 World Cup.
It’s an unexpected popular icon. There is neither the aura of a steely-eyed Man of Destiny, say, like Luiz Felipe Scolari, nor the air of a man on fire with an idea like Deniz. Dorival has a low personality, low ego, low charisma. He does not make an impressive figure as a public speaker. But here lie some of its virtues. His relaxed brand of flexibility often makes him popular with his players, and also means he can switch between systems and get the best out of the resources available to him.
Both sides of Dorival were certainly evident in those few months with Flamengo in 2022. The team enjoyed working with him, and he found a way to get a group of attacking stars going together. Some downplayed his achievement, saying he only did simple things. But often when things seem simple, it’s because a lot of hard work is happening behind the scenes.
Another one of his notable teams was the 2010 model of Santos, where teenager Neymar was the star. Everyone in Brazilian football at the time was looking to attack from the wings. Dorival’s team surprised by playing in the middle, and for a few months came up with a very promising combination.
But it all ended in tears. After missing some penalty kicks, Neymar was not allowed to take one against Atletico Goianense. He threw an unusual tantrum, delaying the resumption of the match. The opposing team’s experienced coach, Rene Simões, was terrified that Brazilian football was creating a monster. Dorival thought Neymar needed some education and suspended him. But the next match was against Corinthians, Santos’ historic rival. The club directors decided they wanted their star more than their coach, and Dorival was sacked.
Now, of course, Dorival will be working with – and against – these kind of stars, better players than those he was accustomed to dealing with in domestic Brazilian football. Those Brazilian players who seemed most supportive of Ancelotti’s up and coming were the stars based in Europe, a globalized group less attached to nationality. Dorival will have to win them over, and convince them that he can transfer his local experience to the international arena.
But it starts with a lot of local support. His first match – the match against England at Wembley on March 23 – is an important match. Pele could not play there with the national team. Dorival goes there to start his first training match.
