Brazilian National Team coach, Dorival Júnior, concludes his first round of commitments in Europe on the 26th. Since the 10th, he has been following an extensive schedule. The itinerary includes matches from the continent’s top leagues and the Champions League, as well as visits to team training centers.
Dorival took over the position in the National Team on January 11 and will lead the team in the friendlies against Spain and England in March. He will also face challenges with the team this year in the Copa America and the Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
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In Europe, the coach has met with players from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United, Tottenham, and Wolverhampton so far. This week, he and his assistants Lucas Silvestre and Pedro Sotero will visit and watch games of Brazilian players from Manchester City, Liverpool, and Arsenal.
“These days have been very productive. We talked to many players, learned about physical details, observed training sessions, games. All of this makes a big difference. It already brings us closer,” said Dorival Júnior, who watched Wolverhampton’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham on Saturday.
“The visits help us clarify doubts, observe players within our system. It also serves to adapt a new player to our system and to find possible fits,” he added.
Winner of the last two editions of the Copa do Brasil (São Paulo in 2023 and Flamengo in 2022), Dorival takes over the Brazilian National Team with over 20 years of coaching experience. He also won the Copa Libertadores in 2022 with Flamengo, the Recopa Sudamericana in 2011 with Internacional, and the Copa do Brasil in 2010 with Santos.
“The working dynamics in the National Team are different. These visits are already part of the team’s preparation. My main job here will be direct contact with the athletes. This closeness is very important,” said the coach.
“Their awareness that they are being observed is crucial. Visits to clubs are something I will do frequently,” added Dorival, who will announce his first squad list at the beginning of next month.
