29 Facts About Dunga

Dunga was appointed in 2014 for a second time, but Brazil's early exit from the Copa America Centenario led to his dismissal in June 2016.

Dunga's nickname is derived from the Portuguese translation of "Dopey", a dwarf from the Disney version of Snow White, and was given to him by his uncle due to his short height during childhood.

Dunga was born in Ijui, Rio Grande do Sul, of Italian and German descent.

At international level, Dunga played 91 times for Brazil, scoring six goals.

Dunga captained the young Brazilian squad, winning the tournament against Argentina in the final.

Dunga was part of his country that won the 1989 Copa America by defeating Uruguay at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.

Dunga was a starter for Brazil at the 1990 FIFA World Cup, during which he was held more responsible than his teammates for the team's worst campaign at a World Cup since 1966, after a lackluster tournament and the squad's subsequent elimination in the second round by arch rivals Argentina.

Dunga played the anchor role in midfield extremely effectively, due to his ability to break down play and subsequently start attacks with his passing.

Many other players in this position lunged into tackles and put themselves about, but Dunga rarely went to ground to make a tackle, instead using his anticipation and timing to win challenges and retrieve the ball.

Dunga took over the captaincy and went on to lift the trophy.

Dunga scored the third penalty kick in the shoot-out victory against Italy in the final, following a goalless draw after extra-time.

Dunga retained the role of the Brazil national team's captain for the next four years until the 1998 FIFA World Cup, in which he participated, despite playing in the Japanese J League, in what was considered to be a lower standard of competitive football at the time.

En route to the final, Dunga scored his team's fourth penalty kick in the shootout victory against the Netherlands in the semi-finals.

On 24 July 2006, Dunga was named as the new national coach of the Brazil national team as a replacement for Carlos Alberto Parreira, despite the fact that he had no prior coaching experience at the professional level.

Dunga did not just look for players at large clubs, but looked at the whole scope of Europe, finding individual talents such as Daniel Carvalho, Vagner Love, Dudu Cearense of Russian club CSKA Moscow and from local Brazilian clubs such as Corinthians, Flamengo and Sao Paulo.

Dunga's squad won the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa on 28 June 2009.

On 12 December 2012, Dunga was confirmed as new coach of Internacional, where he started and finished his career as a player.

Dunga served as a commentator for IRIB during the 2014 World Cup.

On 22 July 2014, Dunga was announced as the new manager of Brazil, replacing Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Dunga returned to the position for the first time since Brazil's exit in the 2010 World Cup.

Dunga followed this up with wins against Ecuador, in the 2014 Superclasico de las Americas against Argentina, against Japan, against Turkey, and against Austria.

Dunga was equally as effective playing either role, because he was quite a mobile player with excellent stamina, and therefore could get forward quickly to support his team's attacks, but at the same time he possessed all of the qualities associated with holding-role midfielders.

However, as he developed beyond his mid-twenties, Dunga gradually became more specialized in the holding-role.

Dunga was extremely effective in protecting his team's defensive line, and extremely sure-footed when he tackled.

Dunga believed in quick circulation of the ball to stretch the opposition's defenders and midfielders, so he passed the ball on quickly rather than dwelling on it.

Dunga's short passing was almost always flawless, mainly because he was exceptionally composed on the ball when he was being pressured by opponents, and was a master at using his upper-body to shield the ball.

Dunga possessed the intelligence, the work-rate, and the athletic and technical ability to play as a midfield ball-winner and a deep-lying playmaker rolled into one.

Dunga is regarded as one of the greatest defensive midfielders of all time.

Dunga has an ongoing financial dispute with English club Queens Park Rangers.