The Departure of Rafael Dudamel Leaves Venezuelan National Team Orphaned

The departure of Rafael Dudamel from the Venezuelan national team is and will be one of the news of 2020. The coach leaves the team orphaned three months before starting the most exciting and promising challenge in its history: the qualifiers for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. A decision that has generated a lot of controversy due to the reasons and the situation that the group is going through, but that some of the fans have applauded. Those who were never in sync with the coach, according to Spanish newspaper AS.

His departure leaves the leadership of the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF) in a compromised situation. For many Venezuelans, Dudamel has been the best coach in the history of "La Vinotinto" (nickname of the Venezuelan national team). His tireless work, both in the senior team and in the lower divisions, has allowed the South American team to reach a level never seen before. However, according to Rafael himself, the relationship with the federation's leaders "deteriorated rapidly". In his record, there will always be the stain of having been the reason for his resignation.

Some players may also be negatively affected by the departure of 'Profe' (nickname of Dudamel). The main one is Adalberto Peñaranda, a player always protected by Dudamel despite injuries and poor performance. From now on, he starts from scratch and will have to earn his place with good performance.

However, there is one player who has surely celebrated everything that has happened: Josef Martínez. The Atlanta United forward left the national team a few months ago because he did not have the playing minutes he wanted. Furthermore, he hinted that his relationship with Dudamel was not ideal. With this new panorama, he could make himself available to the future coach. (D)