After three games without a win in World Cup qualifying, the Brazilians’ euphoria surrounding short-term coach Fernando Diniz has already evaporated. Now, of all times, the largest prestige national duel in world football awaits in the “Superclasico de las Americas” on Wednesday night (November 22nd, 2023) against Argentina.
The situation that the “Selecao” is currently in is somewhat reminiscent of the situation in football Germany. A trainer as a temporary project manager with a promising start, very interesting approaches, a shaky defense and sobering results. The Brazilians’ Julian Nagelsmann is called Fernando Diniz.
Diniz is actually just a placeholder for the record world champion for superstar coach Carlo Ancelotti. He has already signed, but first wants to properly fulfill his contract with Real Madrid until the end of the season and then take up his new position in order to aim for the sixth World Cup title with the proud football nation. However, at the moment there is at least a little doubt as to whether the Brazilians will even go to the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
First celebrated, now criticized
The last three games are causing acute concern in Brazil: 1:2 on November 17th in Colombia, 0:2 in Uruguay on October 18th and before that a very bad 1:1 on October 13th against Venezuela – the previous one will also immediately The coach’s celebrated philosophy was again called into question.
Football, already known as “Dinizmus”, involves an extreme amount of ball possession, long relays with short “Tikitaka” passes and – similar to what Christian Titz once tried with Julian Pollersbeck at Hamburger SV – a goalkeeper who plays far ahead, essentially as the eleventh field player. However, after the most recent games, the lack of movement towards the goal and the unstable defense are now being criticized.
There is a risk of falling to seventh place
Diniz has to explain a sad premiere: without the injured superstars Neymar and Vinicius Junior, the five-time world champion lost two qualifying games in a row for the first time ever. After five match days, Pele’s heirs are now even behind Venezuela in qualifying, the only South American team not taking part in the World Cup – something that has never happened before.
Neymar will be out for a long time with a torn cruciate ligament and meniscus
If they lose against Argentina in the Maracana football temple in Rio de Janeiro, they risk falling to seventh place in the group of ten. Only the top six qualify directly for the World Cup.
Argentina also has something to make up for
“We have a duty to get back up.” Diniz could have said this sentence, or one of the Brazilian players. But it comes from Lionel Messi. His Argentinians are still heading into the duel with Brazil as league leaders, but they have also just suffered a defeat: 0-2 against Uruguay. Whether this makes the situation easier for Fernando Diniz will become clear from 1:30 a.m. Central European Time.