{"id":17258,"date":"2026-07-11T01:19:34","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T19:49:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?p=17258"},"modified":"2026-07-11T01:19:34","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T19:49:34","slug":"carlo-ancelotti-and-the-weight-of-brazil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/carlo-ancelotti-and-the-weight-of-brazil\/","title":{"rendered":"Carlo Ancelotti and the Weight of Brazil"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"bsf_rt_marker\"><\/div><p><i>Follow Carlo Ancelotti&#8217;s Brazil live at the <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\"><i>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122<\/i><\/a><i> on ZEE5. Subscribe with the Quarterly Plan at \u20b9799 or the Annual Plan at \u20b91,699 and stream every Sele\u00e7\u00e3o match as it unfolds.<\/i><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_86 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/carlo-ancelotti-and-the-weight-of-brazil\/#The_man_who_broke_a_sacred_rule\" >The man who broke a sacred rule<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/carlo-ancelotti-and-the-weight-of-brazil\/#The_Morocco_problem\" >The Morocco problem<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/carlo-ancelotti-and-the-weight-of-brazil\/#Tougher_tests_ahead\" >Tougher tests ahead.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/carlo-ancelotti-and-the-weight-of-brazil\/#The_options_Ancelotti_is_considering\" >The options Ancelotti is considering<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/carlo-ancelotti-and-the-weight-of-brazil\/#A_great_coach_in_an_impossible_job\" >A great coach in an impossible job<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Carlo Ancelotti has won the Champions League four times. He has managed AC Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Everton. He is, by any reasonable measure, one of the greatest club coaches in the history of the sport.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>None of that prepared anyone \u2014 least of all Brazil \u2014 for what happened against Morocco.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>A 1\u20131 draw with a team the Sele\u00e7\u00e3o were expected to beat. Sixty-three minutes of pressure absorbed by a Moroccan low-block with barely a clear chance created in response. A midfield that looked disorganised and toothless after half-time substitutions forced by yellow card accumulation. And a quiet, gnawing feeling that the most decorated international team in history may not yet be ready for what lies ahead.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The pressure on Carlo Ancelotti \u2014 always present, always whispered \u2014 has just become a lot louder.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_man_who_broke_a_sacred_rule\"><\/span><b>The man who broke a sacred rule<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/brazil\/brazil-squad\">Brazil<\/a> have always been managed by Brazilians. It is not a written law \u2014 but it might as well have been. From Vicente Feola to M\u00e1rio Zagallo to Luiz Felipe Scolari to Tite, the Sele\u00e7\u00e3o have been guided by men who grew up eating, breathing, and dreaming in the Brazilian football tradition.<\/p>\n<p>Carlo Ancelotti changed all of that. Born in Reggiolo, Italy, in 1959, Ancelotti became the first foreign manager of the Brazilian national team. It was a statement of ambition from the CBF \u2014 and a recognition that no domestic candidate carried the stature required to lift a squad of this talent and finally end Brazil&#8217;s 24-year wait for a World Cup title.<\/p>\n<p>The appointment was bold. The expectations, as always with Brazil, were absolute.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Morocco_problem\"><\/span><b>The Morocco problem<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The draw against Morocco was not a disaster. Morocco are no minnows \u2014 they reached the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, becoming the first African nation to do so, and they remain a deeply organised, defensively formidable side under Walid Regragui. A point against them is not shameful.<\/p>\n<p>But the manner of the draw raised serious questions. At halftime, with the score level at 1\u20131, Ancelotti made two substitutions driven not by tactics but by card management \u2014 Casemiro and Roger Iba\u00f1ez came off, both carrying yellows and the risk of suspension. Understandable logic. Catastrophic timing. Brazil&#8217;s midfield lost its anchor. What followed was 45 minutes in which Morocco barely needed to attack, as Brazil could not build sustained pressure.<\/p>\n<p>Ancelotti&#8217;s push to deploy Thiago as a primary striker drew particular scrutiny. The idea \u2014 to have a physical presence leading the line while Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior and Raphinha\u00a0 operated as wide threats \u2014 looked good on paper. Against Morocco&#8217;s defensive structure, it produced almost nothing. The service dried up. The movement was predictable. And without Casemiro&#8217;s ability to break the lines from deep, the creative burden fell entirely on individuals rather than a functioning system.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tougher_tests_ahead\"><\/span><b>Tougher tests ahead.<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The draw against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/morocco\/morocco-squad\">Morocco<\/a> is one thing. What follows in the knockout stages \u2014 if Brazil get there \u2014 is another conversation entirely.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/sports\/football\/fifa-world-cup\/2026\/0-6-4z5974253\/0-2-5z5974716\/teams\/france\/france-squad\">France<\/a> possess perhaps the deepest squad in the tournament, with Mbapp\u00e9 operating alongside a supporting cast that most nations would envy. Spain are fluid and relentless, built around a generation of technically exceptional players. Argentina arrive as defending champions. England, finally, have the squad depth and tactical organisation to go deep in a tournament.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>If Morocco \u2014 could suffocate Brazil&#8217;s attack for 45 minutes, what will those sides do with the same blueprint?<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_options_Ancelotti_is_considering\"><\/span><b>The options Ancelotti is considering<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The days before Brazil&#8217;s next Group C match will be critical, and the adjustments being discussed go beyond personnel \u2014 they cut to the heart of how this team is set up to function.<\/p>\n<p>The most pressing question is the striker role. Ancelotti&#8217;s decision to deploy Thiago as his primary number nine was designed to give Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior the freedom to operate from wide positions without defensive responsibility. Against Morocco&#8217;s organised block, it did not work. The movement was too predictable, the hold-up play was insufficient, and Brazil&#8217;s attack repeatedly ran into dead ends. A rethink is clearly necessary \u2014 either a different striker profile, or a shift to a system that removes the fixed number nine entirely and gives Vin\u00edcius more central license to roam and create.<\/p>\n<p>Raphinha has also come under scrutiny. The Barcelona winger was expected to be one of Brazil&#8217;s creative outlets, offering width, directness, and the ability to create chances in tight spaces. Against Morocco, that influence never materialised. He failed to impose himself when Brazil needed someone to unlock a compact defence, and his performance raised questions about whether Ancelotti can trust him to deliver in the bigger matches that lie ahead.<\/p>\n<p>The midfield structure is the third major area under review. Ancelotti was forced to withdraw Casemiro and Roger Iba\u00f1ez at halftime to protect their yellow cards \u2014 a decision that was correct in isolation but stripped Brazil of their midfield engine at the worst possible moment. Finding a way to build a midfield that does not depend so heavily on Casemiro being available for 90 minutes is now urgent. Bruno Guimar\u00e3es was Brazil&#8217;s best player against Morocco and the architect of Vin\u00edcius&#8217;s equaliser, but he cannot be the solution to every problem simultaneously.<\/p>\n<p>There is also a broader structural question that Ancelotti must answer. Brazil looked most dangerous in transition \u2014 Vin\u00edcius&#8217;s equaliser came directly from one such moment \u2014 but they could not produce those moments consistently enough to threaten a disciplined side. Against France, Spain, Argentina, or England, those teams will not sit back and allow Brazil the kind of passive second half that Morocco largely dictated. The system needs to create chances through design and movement, not rely solely on individual brilliance to conjure something from nothing.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_great_coach_in_an_impossible_job\"><\/span><b>A great coach in an impossible job<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Ancelotti has been under pressure before. He steadied Real Madrid amid instability and led the team to a Champions League title no one expected. He knows how to manage moments of doubt.<\/p>\n<p>But Brazil is not a club. There are no transfer windows, no mid-season rebuilds, no quiet weeks to work on training ground shape. There are only matches \u2014 and with each match, the scrutiny grows. The first non-Brazilian to manage the Sele\u00e7\u00e3o cannot afford to look uncertain. Not at a FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122. Not with this squad. Not with this country watching.<\/p>\n<p>The Morocco result was a warning. Whether Ancelotti \u2014 calm, experienced, unflappable \u2014 can turn that warning into a correction will define whether Brazil are genuine contenders or expensive underachievers at this tournament.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Watch Brazil&#8217;s FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 journey live on <\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/myaccount\/subscription?plan-ref=0-11-7467&amp;asset-ref=0-6-4z5914493&amp;visibility=SELECTED&amp;context=FIFA\"><i>ZEE5 FIFA Subscription<\/i><\/a><i> \u2014 stream every match in India and follow every twist in the Ancelotti era as it unfolds.<\/i><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><i>Disclaimer: Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Follow Carlo Ancelotti&#8217;s Brazil live at the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 on ZEE5. Subscribe with the Quarterly Plan at \u20b9799 or the Annual Plan at \u20b91,699 and stream every Sele\u00e7\u00e3o match as it unfolds. &nbsp; Carlo Ancelotti has won the Champions League four times. He has managed AC Milan, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Paris [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":15163,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3019],"tags":[3029,3031],"class_list":["post-17258","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-brazil-football-team","tag-fifa-world-cup-2026"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Sourav K","author_link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/sourav-k\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Carlo Ancelotti and the Weight of Brazil<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"FIFA 2026: Brazil face 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