New Seleção Coach Aims to Deliver 'The Best', Awaiting Ancelotti

The new coach of the Brazilian national football team, Fernando Diniz, confirmed on Wednesday that he is determined to offer "the best" with Seleção, in anticipation of the arrival of Italian Carlo Ancelotti within a year.

Speaking at a press conference at the headquarters of the Brazilian Football Federation in Rio de Janeiro, Diniz told the media: "I'm not here to discuss what will happen after me, or what will happen with Carlo Ancelotti. My commitment to the Brazilian federation is to strive for the best in preparing the players well and achieving good results in the games we will play."

The Brazilian federation announced on Tuesday that Diniz, 49, will coach the five-time world champions for a year until Ancelotti's contract with Real Madrid expires in June 2024.

A high-ranking source in the Brazilian Football Federation told AFP on Tuesday that Ancelotti will take over the Seleção starting from the Copa America 2024, which is scheduled for next year in the United States (June 20 - July 14).

The current technical director of the Royal Club has remained silent since this information surfaced, and Brazilian Federation president Ednaldo Rodrigues avoided mentioning his name during Diniz's presentation.

However, Rodrigues confirmed to reporters upon his exit from the press conference that "Carleto" (64 years old) will join the technical management of the Brazilian national team for the 2024 Copa America. Answering a question from a journalist, he said, "He will be here, you can be sure of that."

The solution reached by appointing a coach for the Brazilian national team in anticipation of the arrival of the highly-decorated Italian coach sparked questions and criticism from the Brazilian media since Diniz is also contracted with Fluminense until the end of 2024.

But the Brazilian coach confirmed that he will show "the utmost commitment" to both the team and the national squad.

Fluminense, which currently sits in sixth place in the Brazilian championship, 12 points behind the leader Botafogo, agreed to this dual role with the Brazilian federation which will pay the club a "good financial compensation," according to club president Mario Bittencourt in a press conference.

Diniz will lead the Brazilian team in the South American World Cup qualifiers, leading to the finals in 2026 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. His journey will begin with matches against Bolivia and Peru in September.

Brazil has been thirsting for a sixth world title since 2002 and was disappointed in the last World Cup in Qatar, where it exited in the quarterfinals at the hands of Croatia in penalty kicks, leading to the departure of its coach Tite, who was replaced by the U-20 team coach Ramon Menezes.

 

AFP