Brazil has officially parted ways with head coach Dorival Junior after a disheartening 4-1 defeat against arch-rivals Argentina in World Cup qualifying. Announced by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), this decision comes on the heels of Brazil's heaviest loss in World Cup history, significantly affecting their qualifying campaign. Dorival, who only took over in January 2024, achieved a record of seven wins, six draws, and three losses in his 16 matches in charge, as reported by Channel News Asia.

Despite his previous successes with club teams such as Flamengo and São Paulo, Dorival found it challenging to navigate the high expectations of the national team, particularly following a lackluster Copa America in 2023 where Brazil was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Uruguay. The CBF remained cautious about his performance but decided to make an immediate change after this latest defeat, which further jeopardized Brazil’s standing in the South American qualifying group. Brazil presently ranks fourth, just ahead of Colombia, who sit in the sixth place, threatening their quest for a direct World Cup qualification, according to BBC.

CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues expressed gratitude towards Dorival while clarifying that the search for a new coach would commence right away. The federation had previously aimed to lure Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid, but with Ancelotti's contract running until 2026, names like Jorge Jesus, currently coaching Al Hilal, have surfaced as potential successors, as highlighted by Al Jazeera.

Brazil’s recent results have been notably poor, with the team setting negative records for the number of losses and goals conceded during this qualifying cycle. The dramatic defeat in Argentina added to their growing list of humiliations, which include being unable to secure victories in critical matches, such as their first-ever qualifying loss at home, according to Reuters.

As the nation reflects on this failure, the spotlight is now on the CBF to identify a capable leader who can restore Brazil’s footballing glory ahead of the forthcoming World Cup.