PARIS: Brazil’s quest to regain World Cup supremacy from their European rivals has led to them handing the reins to a European, with Italian Carlo Ancelotti charged with the task of ending the nation’s wait to win their sixth title.
It is 24 years since the Selecao last won the World Cup, exactly the same length of time they were forced to wait between Pele lifting the old Jules Rimet trophy in 1970 and the team’s triumph in 1994.
Ancelotti, 66, has unfinished business at the World Cup, and Brazil are ripe for a revival.
“I’m not obsessed with winning the World Cup, but I have the pleasure and passion to enjoy the moment I’m living in, leading the most important national team in the world,” the former Real Madrid coach recently told the Guardian.
Ancelotti, with his measured demeanour on the touchline and his tactical pragmatism, is arguably the most successful coach of his generation.
He has won the Champions League five times, two with AC Milan and three with Madrid, and collected league titles in Italy, England, France, Germany and Spain.
A year ago, upon leaving Real, Ancelotti became Brazil’s third permanent coach since the last World Cup.
In five World Cups since winning in 2002, Brazil have lost four times in the quarter-finals and reached the semis once — when they suffered a traumatising 7-1 defeat at the hands of Germany as hosts in 2014.
The exit on penalties to Croatia in Qatar in 2022 brought an end to Tite’s reign.
Fernando Diniz took over for the start of 2026 World Cup qualifying, but lasted just six games.
In came Dorival Junior, but the veteran oversaw a quarter-final exit at the 2024 Copa America. He was dismissed in March last year after a 4-1 thrashing in a World Cup qualifier in Argentina.
Ancelotti saw Brazil over the line, but they finished fifth in the 10-team South American qualifying group, 10 points behind first-placed Argentina.
There have since been three wins, a draw and two defeats — against Japan and France — in friendlies with the new coach testing different formations.
He has not totally cleared the decks. Far from it. Eight of those who started against Croatia in 2022 are in his squad.
Centre-back Eder Militao is injured along with forwards Rodrygo and Estevao. Chelsea’s Joao Pedro was left out.
Ten of Ancelotti’s 26-man roster are in their thirties, with the average age almost 29.
Neymar gamble
His decision to include Neymar caused a sensation, with the 34-year-old ex-Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward set for his fourth World Cup — despite not having played for his country since 2023 because of injuries.
Now at Santos, Neymar will surely only have a bit-part role, with Vinicius Junior instead leading the attack.
Matheus Cunha and Raphinha could have big roles too, while Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes represent a solid midfield. Centre-backs Gabriel Magalhaes of Arsenal and Marquinhos of PSG will come straight from the Champions League final.
Ancelotti knows there are great expectations with Brazilians hungry for another title after 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.
As a player, Ancelotti missed Italy’s victorious 1982 World Cup campaign through injury and was an unused squad member in 1986.
He played in 1990, when Italy hosted and agonisingly lost in the semi-finals on penalties to Argentina.
Then came 1994 and the shootout loss to Brazil in the final at the Pasadena Rose Bowl, with a 35-year-old Ancelotti serving as Arrigo Sacchi’s assistant.
“In other countries, the national team isn’t as important as it is in Brazil…Europeans don’t have the same love for the national team shirt,” Ancelotti told the Guardian.
Brazil are in a group with Haiti, Scotland and Morocco, and begin against the latter in New Jersey on June 13.
Should they top their group, Brazil’s onward path looks potentially very kind, although they have not beaten a European team in a World Cup knockout tie since 2002.
But the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has already seen enough to give Ancelotti a new contract until the 2030 World Cup.
“We have the most successful coach in the world. We need to make the most of him being here, so that we are left with a positive legacy for Brazilian football,” said CBF president Samir Xaud.
