Winning the World Cup, Ancelotti will be the greatest coach

Carlo Ancelotti is expected to lead Brazil.

Brazil have not won the World Cup since 2002. Every tournament since then has ended in defeat, especially when the "Selecao" faced European teams in the knockout stages. Ancelotti is seen as the man who can help Brazil overcome that barrier.

Ambition

Ancelotti's success with Brazilian players is one of the reasons why he is an ideal choice for the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF). For CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues, Ancelotti meets all the criteria.

“Ask Carlo Ancelotti to coach Brazil is not just a strategic move,” said Rodrigues. “It is a statement to the world that we are determined to regain our top position. He is the best coach in history, and now he leads the best team on the planet. Together, we will write new glorious chapters for Brazilian football.”

Many will disagree with Rodrigues. In the debate, Ancelotti does not necessarily stand out from Pep Guardiola or even Arrigo Sacchi and many other great coaches. Everyone has their own point of view.

His softness and flexibility help Ancelotti conquer titles. However, that also makes him underestimated compared to Pep or Cruyff, who created their own football philosophy, forcing the whole world to follow.

But if Ancelotti completes his trophy collection as a coach at the national team level, with the 2026 World Cup title next year, all debate will end.

It's the same way Lionel Messi entered the temple of greatness when he won the 2022 World Cup. Unlike the Champions League or domestic tournaments, which always take place every year, the World Cup always has a special meaning in football.

Challenge

Brazil are expected to announce their squad this week for World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador away and Paraguay at home, two teams in good form in South America.

Ancelotti officially took charge on May 26, and needed to quickly get into the rhythm for the matches on June 5 and June 10. After that, he had relatively comfortable time to prepare for the year-end call-ups.

Brazil have disappointed under coach Dorival Júnior.

Ancelotti has two big advantages. The first is the expansion of the World Cup. This time, with more places in the finals, only disaster could keep Brazil out of the 2026 World Cup. In fact, Ancelotti can start thinking about the North American tournament next year.

The second advantage is that things can hardly get worse. The performance against Argentina was so bad that the pressure on Ancelotti will be low at the start. However, at the 2026 World Cup, things will be different.

Coach Tite once said that the hot seat of the Brazilian national team is "the most pressure in the world" at the international level. Brazilians are crazy about football, and each person is a real expert or coach.

Brazil have a good squad but have been poor since the 2002 World Cup. Many in the country even consider it a shame. The 2026 World Cup must be a completely different spectacle.

From some perspectives, the appointment of a foreign coach is controversial for Brazilian football. For traditionalists, the idea of a non-Brazilian coach leading the only team to win the World Cup five times is unacceptable.

Brazil's five World Cup titles have all come under the tutelage of domestic coaches, but the reality is different now. Ancelotti is the best player they could have recruited on the market.

In the trend of football globalization, Brazilians understand that it is time for them to break with tradition to win the championship. For Ancelotti, he also needs a new challenge for himself.