Brazil manager Dorival Júnior sparked controversy by publicly stating that Raphinha, not Vinícius Júnior, would be Brazil’s designated penalty taker in future matches. Júnior’s comments followed Brazil’s recent match against Uruguay.

In a press conference on November 18th, Júnior explained his decision: “Raphinha and Vinícius were prepared for penalties. Vinícius ended up missing. Tomorrow, if there’s a penalty, Raphinha will be the taker. But what I see is this: you only mature with experiences. You only mature by going through situations like this in life and in a career. It’s the athlete who has to find the way individually. And collectively, we have the technical committees to help them.”

Júnior’s statement emphasized individual growth and the role of the coaching staff in supporting players: “It’s the athlete who has to find the way individually. And collectively, we have the technical committees to help them.” He highlighted the learning opportunities presented by such setbacks.

Upcoming match against Uruguay

Looking ahead to Tuesday’s match against Uruguay at Arena Fonte Nova, Júnior acknowledged the challenge: “We’ll have a very complicated game, but we’re going to do everything so that tomorrow we play our best match.”

Dorival Júnior’s decision to favor Raphinha over Vinícius Júnior in penalty-taking duties has generated debate among fans. While highlighting the importance of learning from mistakes, his public declaration could affect the team dynamic and the confidence of Vinícius Júnior.

The upcoming match against Uruguay will be a key test of both players’ ability to perform under pressure and the team’s ability to maintain its focus.