Following a disappointing performance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Brazil found themselves in an awkward position.
The national federation wished to move on from head coach Tite, and while their top choice as replacement had interest in succeeding him for the coming 2026 World Cup cycle, he was not available immediately.
Thus, while Carlo Ancelotti has reportedly agreed to be the next coach of the Brazil national team, he would not take over until next year, when his contract at Real Madrid expires. With that in mind, they needed an interim manager to lead the way in the meantime.
Given the need for a manager over the immediate 12 months, Brazil turned to Fernando Diniz, allowing the Fluminense boss to remain in charge at his club while also leading the national team until Ancelotti takes over.
The Sporting News has all the information on who the interim Brazil boss is and how his tenure will work.
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Who is Brazil coach Fernando Diniz?
Fernando Diniz, 49, is currently the interim head coach of the Brazil national team, and also simultaneously the manager of Brazilian giants Fluminense.
Diniz has been in charge of Fluminense since April 2022, taking over for Abel Braga and leading the club to the Campeonato Carioca title — the regional trophy in the state of Rio de Janeiro — in 2023.
He then was named interim head coach of Brazil in July of 2023, stepping in after Tite was let go in the aftermath of the 2022 World Cup. Diniz is only leading Brazil on an interim basis due to the understanding that Carlo Ancelotti will take over as permanent head coach once his Real Madrid contract expires in June of 2024.
Diniz was a midfielder during his playing days, turning out for the likes of Palmeiras, Corinthians, Fluminense, Flamengo, Cruzeiro, Santos, and Clube Atletico Juventus during a 15-year journeyman career spent entirely in his homeland.
He retired in 2008 and began a coaching career that saw him bounce around in traditional South American fashion, with stops at Botafogo, Atletico Paranaense, Fluminense, Sao Paulo, Santos, and Vasco da Gama before being hired by Fluminense for a second time in his latest stint. He has made an incredible 18 different head coaching stops over his 14-year managerial career to this point, which is more common in South America, where clubs hire and fire coaches more readily.
What is Fernando Diniz's nickname?
Known for his possession-based "tiki taka" style of play, Fernando Diniz has been nicknamed the "Brazilian Guardiola" after well-known Spanish coach Pep Guardiola, who brought the style to its greatest heights with Barcelona between 2008 and 2012.
The Brazilian's entertaining and ambitious style of play helped keep his career afloat despite a few failed coaching spells during his early few stints in the Brazilian top flight, where he was sacked in 2018 by Atletico Paranaense near the bottom of the table, and a similar ending to his Fluminense stint soon after could have put a halt to his career growth.
Yet he's retained an upward trajectory despite the high-profile failures, with the legendary Ronaldo saying his style of play "puts on a show," while ESPN called Diniz "soccer's hipster coach".
However, while that nickname cropped up early in Diniz's coaching career, he has been indicated disdain for it, having differentiated himself from the traditional tiki-taka style with a more free-flowing rotation of players that does not adhere to the rigidity of the Pep system. He focuses largely on overloads, often shifting his formation dangerously to one side of the pitch before suddenly switching play to the opposite flank and seeing the bulk of players follow as well.
When will Carlo Ancelotti take over as Brazil manager?
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is set to take over as Brazil national team coach in July of 2024, Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues announced this past summer.
"Don Carlo" is massively accomplished at club level, having won the Champions League a record for times, twice with Real Madrid and twice with AC Milan. Yet he has never coached an international side, so there is still some uncertainty with his appointment.
Brazil have reportedly coveted Ancelotti for years, but the Italian did not wish to leave Real Madrid before the expiration of his contract, and thus he will take over when his deal runs out next year. It is expected that Ancelotti will join in time to take charge for the 2024 Copa America, which will take place in the United States.
To close that gap, Fernando Diniz will take charge of the national team until Ancelotti is available, while also remaining in his role at Fluminense.
