Diniz reflects on the Copa’s tactical legacy and praises Rayan | OneFootball

Back in action after nearly a month and a half without official matches, Corinthians played again this Sunday (12) and were held to a 1-1 draw by Cascavel-PR. After the match, Fernando Diniz’s press conference focused not only on Timão, but also on the World Cup.

Sharing his view on the tactical legacy left by the World Cup, the coach said there were no major conceptual innovations in the tournament, highlighting the competitiveness of the African national teams as well as the collective play of some European sides.

Rodrigo Gazzanel/Agência Corinthians

“I didn’t see much innovation in the World Cup. I think the best thing was that the African countries are much more committed in the defensive phase and have evolved a lot tactically, becoming more and more competitive. France is a team that is individually very captivating. Argentina too, collectively, has the presence of that football genius we still have the pleasure of watching, Messi. And two teams that I personally like a lot, which have a better-developed sense of collective play, are Spain and England. I think England is a very interesting example to take from it, because Bellingham and especially Harry Kane, who are two decisive players, are the players who help the most, many times, in the defensive phase”, said Diniz.

Beyond the broader picture he analyzed, Fernando Diniz also praised forward Rayan, who was coached by him in 2025 and became a starter for the Brazilian national team after Raphinha’s injury.

“(Rayan) is a player who last year was close to being transferred from Vasco to a smaller team in Europe, or to a team here in Brazil, and in less than a year, he went from that situation to becoming one of the biggest transfers in the history of Brazilian football and playing in a World Cup as a starter. I think Rayan took his first step with the national team, and I believe he has much more to show, he is a rare talent. He is a player who has physicality, technique, personality, and intelligence, so this is only the beginning for him”, he concluded.

Upcoming fixtures

Corinthians now turn their attention to the official resumption of the calendar. The team’s next match will be on July 23, when they face Remo at Neo Química Arena in a clash valid for the 19th round of the Brazilian Championship. Later this month, Timão will also face Bahia away from home and Athletico-PR in Itaquera.

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