Anyone who doubts the importance of Copa America 2016 only needs to look at Dunga to realize the error of their ways.
Brazil’s soccer federation fired Dunga as national-team coach Tuesday, announcing the decision to dismiss him in a statement on its website.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation decided Tuesday to dissolve the technical committee of the Brazilian national team. Team coordinator Gilmar Rinaldi, coach Dunga and his entire team leave their positions.
“The decision was taken by mutual consent during a meeting this afternoon and, from now, the CBF starts the process of choosing the new technical committee of the Brazilian national team.
“CBF thanks the staff for their dedication, seriousness and commitment while performing the work.”
Dunga’s firing comes in the aftermath of Brazil’s failure at Copa America 2016 in the United States. Brazil lost 1-0 to Peru on Friday at Gillette Stadium, and the result confirmed the team’s elimination in the group stage — its earliest exit from a Copa America tournament since 1987.
When asked Friday at his postgame press conference if he feared for his job, Dunga said he only fears death.
Dunga captained Brazil to victory in the 1994 FIFA World Cup as a player, but the second of his two tenures in charge of the national team has ended more infamously than the first.
Brazil re-hired him after the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but fortunes hardly improved under his guidances. Brazil reached the quarterfinals of Copa America 2015 in Chile but lost to Paraguay on penalty kicks. Brazil then sputtered through its first six games of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying and currently sit outside the four-and-a-half qualifiers for Russia 2018.
The group-stage exit at Copa America 2016 proved to be the final straw for Dunga.
Brazilian television station Globo reported Tuesday that Corinthians coach Tite is expected to replace Dunga in the national-team dugout.
Dunga’s successor will be expected to lead Brazil to victory later this summer at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
No pressure.
Brazil must re-invent its soul with Dunga’s successor >>
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
