Carlo Ancelotti has accepted Brazilian football’s ultimate dare – to rescue the Selecao from chaos and deliver World Cup glory in just over a year.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed Monday that the decorated Italian tactician will officially take over on May 26, the day after La Liga ends, cutting short his tenure at Real Madrid by a year.
The deal’s financials remain undisclosed, but the mission is clear: revive Brazil’s flailing squad and reclaim their global dominance by 2026.
“Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to lead Brazil is more than a strategic move. It is a statement to the world,” said CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues. “He is the greatest coach in history, and now he is leading the greatest national team on the planet.”
Rodrigues’ words brim with hope, but recent results point to a rocky road ahead.
Brazil currently sit fourth in South American World Cup qualifying, bruised from a 4-1 loss to Argentina and a carousel of fired coaches – Dorival Junior, Fernando Diniz, Ramon Menezes.
Ancelotti’s resume is ironclad – three UEFA Champions League titles, two Club World Cups, and domestic dominance in Spain, Italy, and beyond.
But what awaits in Brazil is not a ready-made squad – it’s a jigsaw puzzle of fading stars, untested youth, and tactical confusion.
Midfield void
The Italian has already opened lines of communication with the aging duo of Neymar and Casemiro.
Neymar, still recovering from an ACL injury, is training at Santos. Casemiro, now 33, remains a trusted general but has struggled at Manchester United.
The question isn’t just whether they still have gas in the tank – it’s whether anyone else can fill their boots.
With no clear heir in sight, Ancelotti must devise two tactical plans: one with them and one without.
And then there’s Brazil’s midfield, once the heartbeat of its flair, now sputtering.
Lucas Paqueta, the presumed successor, faces match-fixing allegations in England.
Rodrygo, Gerson, and Andreas Pereira – all have been tested in the creative role, none have clicked. The drought is throttling the attack: Vinicius Júnior, Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, and Endrick are starved for service.
Defense that forgot how to defend
Under Tite, Brazil conceded just 30 goals in 81 matches. Since Qatar 2022, 31 goals in 25 games. A shocking collapse.
Ancelotti inherits a backline that inspires little confidence. Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes have underwhelmed, while Éder Militao, an Ancelotti favorite, is still working back from injury.
As for the full-backs, Brazil, once the factory of flying flankers, now scrambles for reliable options.
A 2002-style 3-5-2 system – with three central defenders and attacking wingbacks – is on the table, but finding three elite defenders in form is another puzzle.
The goalkeeper drama deepens the plot. Alisson and Ederson have taken turns losing their starting spots due to injuries, opening the door for Bento to start against Argentina. The gloves are up for grabs.
Tick tock
By the time he leads Brazil in their next qualifiers – against Ecuador and Paraguay – Ancelotti will have a few precious matches left before the World Cup.
Every game is gold dust.
There’s also turbulence off the pitch. CBF President Rodrigues is embroiled in legal challenges, and fans’ patience has worn thin. The specter of a historic failure – Brazil missing the World Cup for the first time ever – lurks in the background, however slim that chance may be.
Veteran broadcaster Galvao Bueno believes Ancelotti won’t do it alone. “He has friends in Brazil: Cafu, Kaká, and Falcao – people who understand our football. He’ll need them.”
Indeed, Brazil has only once won the World Cup as favorites – in 1962. When they lifted their last trophy in 2002, they were doubted and dismissed, knocked out of the Copa America by Honduras, and riddled with injuries.