Ancelotti’s denial shortened Diniz’s time in the national team – 01/05/2024 – Sport

When Carlo Ancelotti renewed his contract with Real Madrid, shortly before the turn of the year, the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) lost all the planning it had drawn up for the Brazilian team.

The idea was to have the coach from the Copa América, between June and July, in the United States. Although the Italian had never publicly confirmed the negotiation, Ednaldo Rodrigues, as president of the CBF, assured that there was an agreement. Until his arrival, Fernando Diniz, who took over in July 2023, would continue as a buffer.

Ancelotti only admitted that he spoke to Ednaldo after renewing his contract with Real. In the meantime, he saw the departure of the CBF top man from afar, which certainly weighed on his decision to stay at Real, where he has been since 2021 and says he is “very happy”.

Without being able to count on the European coach and as Diniz did not take off with the selection, accumulating one of the worst records at the head of the team, Ednaldo, as soon as he resumed his position, chose to tear up the initial plan and seek an immediate and definitive definitive solution until the 2026 World Cup.

São Paulo coach, Dorival Júnior, is one of the main candidates to take on the position. In his current position since April 2023, the coach is on the rise in the market for having led the São Paulo team to their first Copa do Brasil title, after having already won the same tournament and the Copa Libertadores the previous year with Flamengo.

Although taking over the national team is the São Paulo coach’s desire, the uncertainties about the direction of the CBF weigh against him taking on the challenge at this time. The decision by Minister Gilmar Mendes, of the STF (Supreme Federal Court), which reappointed Ednaldo to the presidency of the CBF, is preliminary in nature, and still needs to be ratified by the court’s plenary, which is expected in February.

The name of Portuguese José Mourinho was also speculated as one of the possible candidates to take over the Brazilian team, but the Roma coach stated this week that he was not contacted by the CBF and that, like Ancelotti, his priority is to renew his contract with the Italian team. This highlights the current lack of prestige of the five-time world champion team among the main coaches abroad.