The Brazilian press on Wednesday launched fierce criticism of its national team, coach Dorival Júnior and Real Madrid player Vinícius, after the defeat in Asunción against Paraguay (1-0) in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
“Brazil plays badly and loses,” the state news agency headlined EBC.
The media were unanimous in highlighting the “lack of daring”, “poor football” and “technical crisis” that the five-time world champions are going through and began to fear the possibility of being left out of the next World Cup.
Journalist Alexandre Alliatti went a step further and wrote in Gethe sports portal of Globothe most influential audiovisual group in the country, that “the Brazilian team needs a foreign coach.”
“Dorival is a serious, correct person who has just started his job. But can you imagine him taking the team anywhere?” he asked.
“After ten games under his command, the progress has been very small for a team that needs to make a very big leap in two years,” the newspaper’s report noted. The Globe.
The coach is criticised for having promised again, on the eve of facing the Albirroja, that he would reach the final of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Canada, the United States and Mexico, despite being aware of the team’s poor situation.
And although the coach is the target of most of the criticism, no one was spared from the fire.
“The team lacks boldness and has too many ordinary and mediocre players. At Defensores del Chaco, it was predictable, slow, apathetic and unproductive,” the newspaper reported. The State from S. Paulo.
Regarding Vinícius, the great star of this team that longs for the return of Neymar, they point out that he remains very alone and “isolated” on the left wing.
Danilo Lavieri criticized on the portal UOL “the absolutely below average performance” of the Real Madrid winger with the national team.
“A candidate for best player in the world, he made mistakes in almost everything he tried in the national team’s two games against Ecuador and Paraguay,” he said.
The press reported that Endrick, also a Real Madrid player, who was a starter in Asunción, “is far from consolidating himself.”
“Brazil is not getting off to a good start because it constantly has a rookie to integrate and who is thrown to the lions in this team without a tactical pattern and with collective problems,” he said. UOL.
The Canarinha is in fifth position in the South American qualifiers, with more defeats (4) than victories (3).
For the 2026 World Cup, the top six teams will qualify. The seventh-placed team will go into a play-off, and Brazil is currently one point away from being eliminated. (D)
