The appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as head coach by the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) is a remarkable turning point.
The Brazilian national team worships the tradition of using domestic coaches to protect the identity of national football throughout history. Ancelotti will be the first foreign coach to lead Selecao.
Reviving World Cup ambitions
Brazil is still the most successful team in the world with 5 World Cup titles. However, the last time they were crowned was in 2002, more than 2 decades ago. Despite having won two Copa American titles during that time, Brazil's measure of success is the World Cup.
The worst defeat came in 2014, when host Brazil suffered a 1-7 defeat to Germany in the semi-finals. After that, the Belgian team defeated Brazil in the quarter-finals of 2018, Croatia beat Brazil on penalties in the quarter-finals of 2022.
The Samba's World Cup journey since 2002 has all stopped before an opponent from Europe. That is also part of the reason why Brazil needs a foreign coach, to understand European football, from which to win.
An alarming performance in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, culminating in a 1-4 loss to Argentina, further increased the pressure on Brazilian football managers to build a winning team. As a result, the CBF implemented a bold plan that they had long cherished, named Ancelotti.
The excellence of Ancelotti
One of Ancelotti's biggest strengths is his ability to stabilize the team without being too harsh. His calm demeanor has helped stabilize some of the world's most powerful dressing rooms.
Although Real Madrid's 2024-2025 season had many difficulties when they lost to Barcelona in the Spanish King's Cup final and were eliminated in the Champions League quarter-finals, it is undeniable that the Italian coach has had success in the past.
He has nurtured a winning culture and mindset throughout his tenure in the Spanish capital. That was a great journey for Real to win the 2022 Champions League.
Reverse victories from seemingly impossible matches against Chelsea and Man City to bring Los Blancos to the final. Here, they won a narrow victory over Liverpool to bring home their 15th elephant ear trophy.
Not only ensuring tactical expertise, Real's players also played with emotional calmness. Such a collective spirit could revive Brazil, who have often failed to cope with expectations and pressures.
In addition to spirituality, Brazilian football also needs someone who can balance the generous samba style and the necessary practicality.
Ancelotti can combine these identities. Previously, when he led AC Milan in the early 2000s, his squad included stars such as Paolo Maldini, Andrea Pirlo and Kaka. They play control football, aesthetics, and defense resiliently but can also cause breakthroughs when attacking.
He applied the same approach in his second term at Madrid, starting in June 2021. Real's squad structure allows Brazilian talents such as Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo to express themselves while still maintaining discipline.
The journey to bring Brazil back to glory is still very long, but Ancelotti has enough experience and courage to face this challenge. This is an opportunity for the Italian strategist to redefine the identity of Brazilian football in the modern era.
