Brazil were knocked out from the 2024 Copa America at the hands of Uruguay in the quarterfinals, but the image of coach Dorival Junior being outside the team circle before the penalty shootout made pretty much the same noise as the elimination itself.
It didn’t take long for the Brazilian coach to explain what happened, claiming he was outside the team circle on purpose, denying the impression that the players were ignoring him just seconds before a crucial moment in the Copa America.
But Dorival’s postgame comments were not enough for the manager, who expanded on this topic in an interview with Globo Esporte. According to the coach, this situation was blown out of proportion.
“I found it absurd everything they did. At no point did they question me directly… I didn’t even know about that matter. Because of a photo, they interpreted it in such a way that it seemed like an absurdity from another world. So, do I need to have a clipboard in hand with names to convey a sense of organization over a group? I’m sorry, but what they did was absurd, all the controversy over a simple photo,” Dorival said a few days after the Copa America exit.
“Interpreting a photo without questioning the professional about it. I’m sorry, it was complete recklessness. Those who expressed an opinion should think carefully before speaking about a professional. If there is no respect in this regard, they should see me as a family man, a professional above all, who respects everything and everyone, and those who claim not to respect me. I regret the situation, I’m upset, but it’s a passing situation for a professional who has experienced many cases.“
Brazil coach Dorival always stays outside team circles before a penalty shootout
The Brazilian wanted to make it clear his authorization was never undermined. Not only did he claim the penalty takers against Uruguay had already been decided, but in Dorival’s eyes, getting involved in a team circle is unnecessary for a coach because that’s a moment for the players to concentrate.
“In all the penalty shootouts I have been involved in, I’ve never entered that circle. Everything we did was preparatory and before the match. At that moment, I don’t need to say anything. Unless I notice a difference, a difficulty, a problem, a sudden change,” Dorival said. “But that wasn’t the case, everything was signaled. In the final minutes of the match, we had already decided who would take the penalties. Usually, I stay well away. If you look at images from other games, you can see that I don’t get involved there. It’s the player’s moment. The moment with themselves. I don’t like to participate and I avoid it, because it’s a moment of tranquility and remembering everything you’ve done.“
Brazilian defender Marquinhos was one of the players to defend the coach, claiming assistant coach Lucas Silvestre was more engaged in the team circle because he had been the one that oversaw the practice of penalties. Dorival confirmed this, claiming he’s more focused on free kicks during practices.
“Overall, everyone was prepared. I have something with me that I’ve carried since my playing days. There was a championship where every match that ended in a draw went to penalties, in ’88. And I liked to isolate myself in my way. Also because I prepared for the kicks beforehand, like now. Training isn’t just the day before the match. We trained frequently. I focused more on free kick takers, and penalties were more with Lucas (Silvestre), Pedro (Sotero),” Dorival said.
Dorival felt no need to get into Brazil’s circle before penalty kicks vs Uruguay
Apart from explaining how he prefers to handle these kinds of situations, Dorival revealed he had already made the important decisions before the Brazilian players gathered for a final round in the Copa America quarterfinal.
“When the match ended, because I bring this from my time as an athlete, I don’t like to stay in the middle. I don’t need to have a clipboard in hand or the order of kicks, which had already been decided. I had an assistant ther. The fourth referee had called me because he wanted to know which player would be excluded from the penalties because Uruguay had a player sent off, and this exclusion needed to be decided before the match started. When I returned, I wasn’t going to say anything, but I decided to talk about concentration. That was the only thing I addressed, but I noticed the team was calm,” Dorival said.