Brazil find themselves in a difficult situation. The clearest sign of their struggles is the ongoing national debate around Neymar's fitness. Remarkably, many Brazilians believe the Selecao cannot win this summer’s World Cup without their 34-year-old forward, who hasn’t played a full season of competitive football since 2023.
Former midfielder Felipe Melo even claimed that a one-legged Neymar would still be Brazil’s best choice for the No.10 role – a statement that speaks volumes about the lack of confidence in the rest of the team’s attacking options.
Yet, Brazil’s 2026 World Cup hopes don’t rest solely on their record goal-scorer. The real focus is on Carlo Ancelotti – one of the greatest managers in football history, and perhaps the only man capable of leading an inconsistent Brazil side to their sixth world title.
In demand
Ancelotti has long been viewed as Brazil’s ideal coach. “He is universally respected among players,” said former Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues in 2023. “Not only by Ronaldo Nazario or Vinicius Junior, but by everyone who has played under him.
“I admire his honesty, consistency, and the quality of his work. He doesn’t need any introduction. He’s a top coach with many achievements, and we hope he can achieve even more.
“Ancelotti isn’t just the players’ favourite; he’s also the fans’. Everywhere I go in Brazil, his name is the first that supporters mention. They speak of him warmly, recognising the remarkable work he’s done throughout his career.
“Let’s have faith, wait for the right moment, and see if we can make it happen as we search for the next coach of the national team.”
Brazilian players were just as eager. Goalkeeper Ederson even joked that he’d try his best to help Manchester City knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League “so that Ancelotti can come to Brazil as soon as possible!”
New adventure
Ancelotti himself admitted that talk of him succeeding Tite as Brazil’s permanent coach had been a frequent topic in the Real Madrid dressing room, where Casemiro, Vinicius, Eder Militao, and Rodrygo often teased him about it.
“We’re friends,” Ancelotti laughed, “so they joke about it a lot. But reality is different: I have a contract until 2024.” True to his word, he honoured that deal and even extended it to 2026, seemingly ending Brazil’s hopes of hiring him for their World Cup campaign.
However, football is unpredictable – especially at Real Madrid. After a trophyless 2024-25 season, club president Florentino Perez decided it was time for change.
Ancelotti took the decision gracefully. “If someone had told me we’d win 11 trophies in four years, I’d have signed up for that immediately,” he said. “This year wasn’t great, but the journey has been unforgettable.
“I have no regrets. I’ve enjoyed every moment, and so has everyone else. But all adventures end one day – football, like life, moves on.” Conveniently, he already had his next challenge lined up.
Boring Brazil
International football represented the final frontier for Ancelotti – a manager who had conquered Europe five times (twice with AC Milan and three times with Real Madrid) and remains the only coach to have won all of Europe’s top five leagues.
There’s no bigger challenge than managing Brazil. The five-time world champions haven’t lifted the World Cup since 2002, and their decline has been hard to watch.
The issue isn’t merely a lack of victories – it’s that Brazil lost their identity. The once flamboyant ‘Jogo Bonito’ has been replaced by dull, mechanical football. For many fans, that was the final straw. Ronaldinho even announced in 2024, before the Copa America, that he was done supporting the team.
“That’s it, folks, I’ve had enough,” the legendary No.10 wrote after a 1-1 friendly draw with the United States. “It’s sad for those who love Brazilian football. It’s hard to find joy in watching these games.
“This might be one of the weakest teams in years. There are no real leaders, just average players.”
Timely lift
The players were understandably stung by Ronaldinho’s words, especially Raphinha, but their performances didn’t do much to silence the critics. Brazil were dreadful at the 2024 Copa America, exiting in the quarter-finals after losing to Uruguay on penalties, having won just one of their four matches.
Surprisingly, coach Dorival kept his job – until March 2025, when a humiliating 4-1 home defeat to Argentina in World Cup qualifying finally cost him his position.
In that context, Ancelotti’s delayed arrival was the morale boost Brazil badly needed, particularly as the CBF was mired in a corruption scandal.
“This is a statement to the world that we’re determined to reclaim our place at the top,” Rodrigues said in May. “He’s the greatest coach in history, now leading the greatest team on Earth. Together, we’ll write new glorious chapters for Brazilian football.”
Not everyone celebrated the appointment. Some former players lamented the need to hire a foreign coach, citing a lack of capable local options. Yet, World Cup-winning managers Carlos Alberto Parreira and Luiz Felipe Scolari both welcomed Ancelotti warmly – with Scolari even attending his unveiling. Even Ronaldinho reversed his stance, saying he was back to supporting Brazil.
“We’ve worked together, and I know him well,” Ronaldinho said of his former AC Milan manager. “It’s a good decision by the federation. As a Brazilian, I’m happy and I hope he does an amazing job at the next World Cup.”
Whether he succeeds remains uncertain as the tournament nears.
Poor results and performances
So far, Ancelotti has managed 11 matches, winning only six. Consistency has been elusive. The 3-2 loss to Japan in November highlighted Brazil’s issues: they led 2-0 at half-time in Tokyo but conceded three times in under 20 minutes, suffering their first-ever defeat to the Blue Samurai.
Even more concerning was the 2-1 friendly loss to France in March, despite Les Bleus playing with 10 men for over 35 minutes. What worried fans most was not just the performance but Ancelotti’s post-match comments.
“I think today’s game makes it clear to me that we can compete with the best teams in the world,” he said. Yet Brazil had just 35.4% possession in the first half and failed to register a single shot on target.
While the coach may have found reasons for optimism, the display only deepened doubts about Brazil’s readiness – and fuelled renewed calls for Neymar’s return.
‘No perfect team’
Once blessed with full-backs like Roberto Carlos and Cafu, Brazil now face a shortage of top-tier options, with inexperienced players Wesley and Douglas Santos expected to start their opening match against a dangerous Morocco side on June 13.
Casemiro’s continued importance at 34 reflects poorly on the younger midfielders, and there’s a genuine fear the team would collapse if anything happened to Newcastle star Bruno Guimaraes.
To strengthen the midfield, Ancelotti appears ready to abandon his 4-2-4 system for a more balanced setup, possibly including the energetic Danilo. But he still needs someone to step up in attack. Multiple strikers have failed to claim the No.9 role in recent years, prompting calls for Neymar’s recall.
The former Barcelona star may not be a traditional striker, but he’s Brazil’s all-time leading scorer and remains hugely popular. That’s why Ancelotti decided to include him in his 26-man World Cup squad.
At 66, Ancelotti knows Brazil “don’t have Pele, Romario, or Ronaldo,” but Neymar can still contribute off the pitch, even if his on-field impact is limited.
Players like Casemiro were thrilled by Neymar’s inclusion, and Ancelotti understands better than anyone that a united, happy squad often produces results.
Though his tactical genius is sometimes underrated, Ancelotti’s true strength lies in managing personalities. His ability to unify dressing rooms and balance egos makes him unique – and could make his partnership with Brazil feel like destiny.
Admittedly, more preparation time would have helped. Ancelotti knows his team still have flaws, but as he rightly says, “There’s no perfect team in the tournament.” What Brazil do have, however, is perhaps the best manager for the biggest job in world football.
