Pressure mounts on struggling Brazil but coach see progress

BRASILIA – Brazil coach Dorival Jr insisted his team are making progress despite sitting fifth in the Conmebol standings ahead of crucial South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup against Colombia and Argentina.

The five-time World Cup winners have been grappling with mounting pressure after winning only two of their last five matches amid a series of poor displays.

They were held to back-to-back 1-1 draws with Venezuela and Uruguay in their last two outings, but Dorival is hopeful they will get back to winning ways when they host Colombia on March 20 (March 21, Singapore time).

“We are looking to recover in a competition that is getting harder every year. To get back to being consistent, we will need to restructure ourselves and seek organisation to have a good defence and an efficient attack,” he said.

“I would be more concerned than I am today if I didn’t see progress despite the latest results... We are trying to make corrections so that the next results can be different, but there is progress, even though many do not want to see it.”

Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup to Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time boss Tite.

Dorival was appointed in early 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA tried and failed to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid. He has so far failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only six of 14 games in charge, including a lacklustre Copa America campaign, when they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay.

Brazil are fifth in the World Cup qualifying standings on 18