8 months ago
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SAO PAULO (AP):
COACH CARLO Ancelotti will leave Real Madrid and take over Brazil through the 2026 World Cup.
The Italian – Brazil’s first full-time foreign coach in a century – will officially take charge on May 25 after La Liga ends, the Brazilian Football Confederation said yesterday.
“Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to coach Brazil is more than a strategic movement. It is a statement to the world that we are determined to recover the top of the podium,” CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues said.
“He is the greatest coach in history and, now, he will be with the greatest national team on the planet. Together, we will write new glorious chapters of Brazilian soccer.”
There was no immediate comment on the move from Ancelotti or Real Madrid.
The CBF added that “Ancelotti starts his mission this week” in meetings with coordinator-general Rodrigo Caetano and former defender Juan, the confederation technical coordinator, so he can pick his squad for the next World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June.
Ancelotti is expected to announce the squad himself in Rio de Janeiro on May 26, the CBF said.
Brazil – five-time world champions – were under pressure to sign a new coach who could revitalise the team, which is in fourth place in South American qualifying for the World Cup. Neymar is struggling to return to top form after an ACL injury in 2023. The top six teams secure direct spots to the tournament, which will be co-hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada.
Ancelotti, 65, will replace Dorival Júnior, who was the coach for 14 months and was fired in March after a 4-1 defeat to archrivals Argentina.
Ancelotti’s contract with Madrid ends next year, but Rodrigues said its expected to be terminated early. The CBF president said, in a video, he wanted to thank Real Madrid President Florentino Perez “for the comprehension, dialogue and support that made this transaction possible”.
Former Madrid player Xabi Alonso is widely expected to replace Ancelotti at Real Madrid after he confirmed his departure from Bayer Leverkusen.
Real Madrid’s first competition after La Liga is the Club World Cup in the United States, which starts on June 14.
Ancelotti’s future in Madrid had been in question in a mediocre season by the club’s standards. Defending champions Real Madrid exited the Champions League in the quarter-finals and have lost all four games to rivals Barcelona this season, including the Copa del Rey final and the league clasico on Sunday that left the Catalan team on the verge of securing the Liga title.
Ancelotti’s signing ends a turbulent time on Brazil’s bench since Tite left after the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals elimination against Croatia. Under-20 coach Ramon Menezes and Fluminense coach Fernando Diniz took charge for several matches as Rodrigues sought Ancelotti to take over.
Menezes and Diniz both fared poorly, and Ancelotti extended his deal with Madrid during that span. Dorival Júnior was chosen in 2024 to take the team to the World Cup, but he was also fired after the same lack of success.
Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus, a 70-year-old Portuguese who won several titles with Brazil’s Flamengo in 2019, was the favourite to take the Brazil job, until Madrid were knocked out of the Champions League by Arsenal in April. Local media also reported that Neymar’s father and agent had a role in stopping his son’s former coach in Saudi Arabia from taking over.
“I want to express my profound gratitude for your patience and support throughout this process,” Rodrigues added in his video for Brazil fans.
Brazil will be Ancelotti’s first international experience as a full-time coach. He was an assistant to Italy coach Arrigo Sacchi in the 1994 World Cup.
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