Fans had hoped Diniz, 49, who also coaches Rio de Janeiro club Fluminense, would restore the thrilling “samba football” that made the five-time world champions famous.

But since taking the job in July, he had struggled to deliver, with Brazil currently sixth in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the last automatic qualifying spot from South America.

The decision came a day after a Supreme Court judge ordered the reinstatement of the CBF’s president, Ednaldo Rodrigues, who was ousted by a lower-court ruling on Dec 7 that found irregularities in his 2022 election.

Fifa and the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) had refused to accept Rodrigues’s ouster, warning the CBF that it could be barred from international competitions if it was allowing external interference in its affairs.

Rodrigues, the first black president in CBF history, had been leading negotiations to sign Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti as coach.

That bid fell apart on Dec 29 when Ancelotti extended his contract with Real Madrid.

Diniz presided over just two wins in his six months coaching Brazil and had racked up a humiliating three straight losses in World Cup qualifiers, including at home to arch-rivals Argentina in November.

Brazilian media reports suggested his successor could be Dorival Junior, the current coach of Sao Paulo.