Why Did Brazil National Team Choose Carlo Ancelotti As New Coach?

After making various approaches for three years, after the 2022 Qatar World Cup, the Brazilian National Team finally managed to recruit Carlo Ancelotti as the new coach of Selecao. The certainty that Ancelotti will coach the Brazilian national team was announced by the Brazilian Football Federation or CBF on Monday (12/5/2025) local time or Tuesday (13/5/2025) WIB.

"Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to coach Brazil is more than just a strategic move. It is a statement to the world that we are determined to reclaim our position at the top of the podium," said CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues.

"He is the greatest coach in history, and now he will be with the greatest national team on the planet. Together, we will write a brilliant new chapter in Brazilian football," Rodrigues continued.

Ancelotti will begin coaching on May 25, after the conclusion of La Liga. The coach, who is currently still managing Real Madrid, is expected to soon select the players who will be taken to face Ecuador and Paraguay on June 5 and June 10, 2025, in the qualifying matches for the 2026 World Cup.

Ancelotti's task this time is very challenging as he must revive the Brazilian national team, which is struggling in the World Cup qualifying round, following a 1-4 defeat to Argentina on March 25. Ancelotti is not only responsible for qualifying Brazil for the main stage of the 2026 World Cup but also for leading the Selecao to become World Cup champions once again. The World Cup trophy has not been held by Brazil since it was last claimed in the 2002 World Cup.

After the 2022 Qatar World Cup, CBF realized there was one issue that made it difficult for Brazil to achieve success again in the World Cup. Five World Cup tournaments in two decades have passed without any significant achievements. Even in the 2014 World Cup held in Brazil, the Samba team could only reach fourth place.

As a producer of talented players, Brazil certainly does not lack talent on the green field. Brazilian players are scattered across various elite clubs to mediocre clubs in the top leagues of Europe. However, when gathered as a national team, Brazil's performance does not appear exceptional.

South American football expert Tim Vickery, speaking to the BBC, revealed that the fundamental problem of the Brazilian national team is the absence of a coach who can understand the strengths and weaknesses of each player in detail, blend all the talents, unleash the best side of each player without hindrance, while also maintaining discipline in play and calming the team during pressuring dynamics. The lack of such a coach leads to senior players not respecting the coach, resulting in suboptimal team performance.

Former Brazilian national team player Zico stated that Ancelotti is a coach who will be respected by the Brazilian national team players due to his outstanding achievements as both a player and a coach. The Italian passport-holding coach has led his team to win the UEFA Champions League, both as a player and as a coach.

As a coach, Ancelotti has led his teams to league championships in Italy, England, Spain, France, and Germany. These are the five top leagues in Europe. In the Champions League, Ancelotti has guided AC Milan to victory twice and Real Madrid to victory three times, during two different coaching tenures.

In addition, Ancelotti is familiar with many Brazilian players competing in Europe. This familiarity with the players is important for understanding their respective strengths and weaknesses when coaching the national team.

In terms of personality, Ancelotti, who has authored a book titled "Quiet Leadership," is known for his calm and warm character. At the clubs he has managed, namely AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint Germain, Bayer Munich, and Real Madrid, Ancelotti has always been able to manage star players and quell any turmoil within the team.

Such quality is required for the Brazilian national team, which is composed of many star players with high egos. If there is a player who misbehaves or plays contrary to his instructions, Ancelotti can correct that player without displaying excessive emotion.

At Real Madrid, Ancelotti can encourage Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes to showcase their best abilities. The same goes for the young player Endryk and defender Eder Militao.

The success of Ancelotti's encouragement of Vinicius and Rodrygo is expected to be applied to other Brazilian players. If all Brazilian players perform at their best, it is not impossible that the Selecao can become champions again.

Ancelotti is regarded as a great people's manager, which will enable him to achieve the best results from a talent-rich national team.

"Ancelotti would be ideal because everyone, including opponents, respects him. He understands football and realizes that players are more important than tactics," said Zico, a Brazilian legend.

The appointment of Ancelotti by CBF is considered late and it will be difficult to revive the Brazilian national team. Former Brazilian national team player Luis Antonio Correa da Costa, also known as Muller, stated that Ancelotti has great experience, but there are concerns that he may not be able to make a significant impact.

"This is too close (to the World Cup), Brazil does not have a team and Ancelotti will not have time to establish a formation like he did at his club," said Muller.

"This is a coach who carries a heavy burden, but with a light team. He has won far more than all these Brazilian players. I do not think his CV (curriculum vitae) will have an impact amidst our very poor performance lately," added Muller.

Muller's concerns are justified as the Brazilian national team is considered to lack adequate quality over the past three years. On the other hand, the 2026 World Cup is only one year away from now.

Meanwhile, Ana Thais Matos, one of the football experts from TV Globo in Brazil, agreed with the recruitment of Ancelotti. However, Matos stated that Ancelotti will face a significant challenge in improving the mentality of the national team.

"I do not believe in the psychological potential of this generation of players. This generation is fragile; they do not criticize themselves much," said Matos.

The Brazilian national team will be Ancelotti's first international experience as a full-time coach. Previously, Ancelotti served as an assistant coach to Italy's Arrigo Sacchi during the 1994 World Cup.

For the Brazilian national team, Ancelotti will be the third non-Brazilian coach to lead the Samba team. However, Ancelotti is set to be the longest-serving non-Brazilian coach compared to the other three coaches.

The three coaches are Joaquim Guimares Ramon Platero, who coached from December 6 to December 25, 1925; Joreca from Portugal, who coached from May 14 to May 17, 1944; and Filpo Nunez, who coached on September 7, 1965.

Ancelotti will be contracted until the end of the 2026 World Cup, with the possibility of an extension. The 65-year-old coach will receive a salary of approximately Rp 11 billion and will be provided with a private jet for travel from Europe to Brazil to observe Brazilian players. A bonus of 5 million euros, or around Rp 92 billion, is also allocated for Ancelotti if he can lead Brazil to victory in the 2026 World Cup.