Fernando Diniz was fired from the Brazil national team

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) fired Fernando Diniz this Friday as coach of the Brazilian national team, a source from the entity confirmed to AFP.

Diniz faced criticism from the press and the Brazilian fans for his lackluster cycle, with just two wins in six games in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in North America.

The 49-year-old coach had been named coach of the ‘Selecao’ in July. He then began to share the position with his job as coach of Fluminense, current champion of the Copa Libertadores.

His dismissal comes one day after Ednaldo Rodrigues was reinstated as president of the CBF, by a ruling by a judge of the Supreme Federal Court of Brazil.

Rodrigues had been dismissed due to a judicial imbroglio in December and his departure provoked threats from FIFA and Conmebol, which threatened to impose harsh sanctions against Brazilian football.

Rodrigues was president when Diniz’s hiring was announced in July 2023, after the departure of Tite (2016-22).

Diniz had arrived at the ‘Canarinha’ with great expectations and as a fashionable coach, precisely because of the offensive and attractive football of the “Flu”.

But his image as national coach was far from the outstanding play shown by the Rio team.

In the six games with Diniz, the ‘Seleção’ had their worst start in the South American World Cup.

The ‘Canarinha’ had three consecutive defeats for the first time and lost their historic undefeated record at home against Argentina (1-0), their eternal rival, at the Maracaná.

Diniz was even booed during the defeat against Lionel Messi’s Albiceleste in November.

In his brief six-month cycle, he only achieved two wins, against bottom teams Bolivia (5-1) and Peru (1-0).

Although he was deprived of key men such as Neymar, Vinícius Júnior and Casemiro in several World Cup matches, due to injury, sectors of the press and the Brazilian fans had questioned his appointment from the beginning.

Diniz had been hired for one year, to fulfill a kind of interim position until the expected arrival of the Italian Carlo Ancelotti, with a current contract with Real Madrid.

However, the Italian never confirmed an agreement with Brazil and recently renewed his link with the ‘merengue’ team.

The favorite to become the new coach of the Brazilian team is Dorival Júnior, current coach of Sao Paulo, champion of the Brazilian Cup in 2023, according to reports in the Brazilian press.

The five-time world champions currently occupy sixth place in the table, the last place that will qualify them directly for the 2026 North American World Cup.

The Brazilian team will play friendlies against Spain and England in March.