Dorival backs his work, thanks fans, offered to quit at Corinthians | OneFootball

Coach Dorival Júnior posted a farewell message to Corinthians on social media. The manager thanked the support of the Fiel Torcida and revealed that, in December of last year, he even offered to step down after winning the Copa do Brasil against Vasco.

“I’m here to leave a special, heartfelt thank-you for everything we experienced over these 11 months. They were unique and unforgettable moments. What we saw in December 2025 at the Maracanã, and especially the takeover of Brasília in February 2026, were unique and special moments that will certainly remain in my heart for the rest of my life. I tried to act with as much transparency as possible every time I addressed you. I fought and defended, with all my strength, the interests of Corinthians. We went through the worst moment in the club’s history and, even so, with unity, with the strength that the coaching staff, the players, and especially the fans showed us, we managed to deliver two major national titles to Corinthians,” he said.

The coach said he even proposed an agreement to president Osmar Stabile, since he had been hired by the previous administration. However, the president reportedly assured Dorival that he would stay on until the end of his term, in December of this year.

“In December, close to Christmas, I called president Osmar Stabile and told him I was available for us to make an amicable agreement, especially because I had not been hired by him, nor by the future football director who would take over. I felt professionally obligated to be there and leave him comfortable to make a decision. At that moment, the president told me that we would go until the end of his term. Knowing that we would have a very difficult year, with four competitions, I really was persistent at many moments, especially because I needed a much deeper squad, one that would give us options to make changes throughout the season,” Dorival revealed.

Dorival recalls pushing for reinforcements and sees merit in the work

The coach also acknowledged that he was persistent in demanding reinforcements, but because he understood that he needed a stronger squad for the four competitions played during the season: the Paulista, the Brasileirão, the Copa do Brasil, and the Copa Libertadores.

Under Dorival’s command, Corinthians signed seven reinforcements without spending on transfer fees. They were: Gabriel Paulista, Lingard, Pedro Milans, Allan, Matheus Pereira, Zakaria Labyad, and Kaio César. He also mentioned the work with the youth academy, putting the Filhos do Terrão in the spotlight, such as André, Bidon, Dieguinho, and other names. It was precisely because of the coach’s insistence that the No. 49 was not sold to AC Milan, of Italy.

“I was indeed persistent about some signings, which would have been very important for me and very specific ones, especially because we lost 11 players and brought in only seven. So, I fought for the best condition for the club because we had very important competitions throughout the year, with an even higher level of demand. However, I leave behind not only a technical and financial legacy through the achievements, but the main one: the emergence of promising young players from the youth academy. I pointed out to the board that, if sold at the right time, they would certainly become the club’s biggest sales in recent times,” Dorival said.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by Dorival Junior (@dorivaljroficial)

A negative run of nine matches without a win and the little improvement shown after the FIFA date weighed heavily in Dorival Júnior’s dismissal, and he did not survive the poor spell and was removed from his position. Some statements by the coach in press conferences also displeased the top brass at Corinthians.

“I understand the moment we were going through, but I reiterate my confidence in this group of players, because they have what it takes to achieve great results still this year. A special thank-you to president Osmar Stabile, a very responsible and humane person. To the entire coaching staff, the group of players, and the employees who welcomed us in such a friendly way. Within the training center, we created an environment that was not only professional, but one of people who respect and like one another. To you, faithful supporter, my heartfelt thanks. You make the difference,” the coach concluded.

Dorival’s numbers at Corinthians

The manager left Corinthians with 25 wins, 19 draws, and 19 losses in 63 matches, totaling a 49.7% success rate. The team scored 67 goals and conceded 56, in addition to winning two titles: the 2025 Copa do Brasil and the 2026 Supercopa Rei.

Corinthians’ next matches

Platense-ARG x Corinthians (first round of the Libertadores) Date and time: 04/09 (Thursday), at 9 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Estádio Ciudad de Vicente Lopez, in Buenos Aires (Argentina)

Corinthians x Palmeiras (11th round of the Brasileirão) Date and time: 04/12 (Sunday), at 6:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Neo Química Arena, in São Paulo (SP)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.