The coach who lost his position for arguing with Neymar will now direct him to the national team
Dorival Jr will replace Fernando Diniz on an interim basis after Carlo Ancelotti’s commitment to Real Madrid ended with his renewal.
Dorival JrOne of the most titled technicians in Brazilian football, Canrinha was confirmed as the new driver this Wednesday and will have to deal again. Neymarwith whom he had an infamous argument that cost him his position as coach of Santos in 2010.
His mission will be to straighten out the sixth-placed team in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and last year suffered three consecutive defeats, the first defeat at home for two decades. A qualifier, surely against his eternal rival Argentina.
He will also have the mission of facing a team that cannot rely on an injured player. Neymar At least until August, so they will play this year’s Copa America without the Saudi Al Hilal player who has been their biggest star in recent years.
Definitely one of the challenges Dorival Jr will be to reduce the so-called “Neymar-dependency”. Brazil And start renewing a squad in which they are already starting to gain weight for the 2026 World Cup. Vinicius Jr And Rodrigo And in which a young player like Andric has been called up.
The relationship between the new coach and the biggest Brazilian star has been distant since September 2010, when Santos terminated the contract after an argument with a player he had prevented from taking a penalty. Dorival Jr As a technician.
Saints He chose to agree NeymarAged 18 at the time, he was to keep the coach with whom he had won two titles and a Libertador quota and who had a record of 37 wins and 8 draws in 61 games.
In separate interviews, the coach has not been short of praise when describing the player, but has said that Neymar could have been more successful in his career if he had taken it more seriously.
The new coach, 61 years old and nephew of Olegario Tolli de Oliveira “Dudu”, a Palmeiras idol in the 1960s and 1970s, was chosen for his entire career in Brazilian football.
His record includes three Brazilian Cup titles and one Libertador title, but especially at the last two clubs he commanded: Flamengo and São Paulo.
With Flamengo, who took over from Portuguese Paulo Sousa in mid-2022, he was the champion of the Libertadores and the Brazilian Cup that year, but, despite his successful results, the leaders did not renew his contract.
In April of last year, he took over at Sao Paulo in place of Rogerio Ceni and managed to revive a discredited team as champions of the Brazilian Cup.
In addition to his three Copa titles and Libertadores title (Flamengo 2022), Dorival Jr He has a second division Brazilian championship title with Vasco da Gama and one Recopa Sudamericana with Internacional.
He also has regional titles as coach of Atlético Paranaense (2020), Internacional (2012), Santos (2010 and 2016), Coritiba (2008), Sport (2006) and Figueirense (2004).
As a player, Dorival He starred as a midfielder and started his career with Ferroviria in 1982. He then went through Club Marilia, Guarani, Ava, Joinville, Sao Jose, Coritiba, Gremio, Juventud, Matonense and Botafogo Sao Paulo.
He retired as a footballer in 1999 at the age of 37 and began his career as a coach in 2002 with Ferroviaria. Since then he has managed twenty clubs in Brazil, including giants such as Palmeiras, Flamengo, Sao Paulo, Cruzeiro, Vasco. Da Gama, Santos and Atlético Mineiro.
His career took a hiatus in 2019 when he overcame prostate cancer thanks to surgery.
