Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti will take charge of Brazil next summer. It will be the first time that the 64-year-old Italian has been responsible for a national team.
Brazil have been without a permanent head coach since Tite resigned after their quarterfinal defeat to Croatia in the 2022 World Cup. Under-20s coach Ramon Menezes has been in charge of Brazil’s recent friendlies.
Ancelotti to take over next Summer: Diniz in charge until then
Brazilian Football Confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues announced that the plan was for Ancelotti to be in charge for the 2024 Copa America and the 2026 World Cup and that Fluminense boss Fernando Diniz will oversee the Selecao alongside his club role until the arrival of the four-time Champions League winning manager.
“He will come and make the transition in Brazil for Ancelotti,” Rodrigues said.
“His game plan is almost similar to that of the coach that will take over at Copa America, Ancelotti.”
Ancelotti to target 6th World Cup win for Brazil
Ancelotti will be reunited with players he has already coached, such as Vinicius Jr., Neymar Jr., Rodrygo and Eder Militao when he takes up his role with the five-time World Cup winners. As well as his four Champions League wins as a coach, Ancelotti also won the trophy twice as a player with AC Milan. He was also part of the Italy squad which finished third in the 1990 World Cup.
While he has not yet managed a national team, he has experience of coaching in international football when he assisted legendary Italy manager Arrigo Sacchi between 1992 and 1995, right at the start of his coaching career. It proved to be a useful transition between the pitch and the dugout. He then took charge of Reggiana, Parma, Juventus and AC Milan. Spells at Chelsea and PSG followed before two fantastic tenures at Real Madrid, with periods at Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton in between.
Ancelotti is now tasked with leading Brazil to a sixth World Cup victory, which would cement the Italian as one of the greatest head coaches in history.
Ancelotti, whose contract at Real Madrid expires next summer, would be the first foreign manager to coach Brazil since 1965. There has been no official word from Ancelotti or Real Madrid that he will depart the club next year.
The 64-year-old began his second spell at the Bernabeu in 2021, after leaving Everton, and has won the Champions League, La Liga, a Copa del Rey and the Club World Cup since his return. The arrangement with Brazil will allow him to see out his contract with Madrid and, presumably, will allow Los Blancos to get a successor in place well in advance of the 2024/25 season.
