Carlo Ancelotti has officially stepped into his new role as head coach of the Brazil national team, expressing pride and determination as he prepares for the challenge. Speaking at the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) headquarters, the 65-year-old Italian said he was “honored and proud to lead the best team in the world,” adding that his main goal is to win the 2026 World Cup.
Ancelotti arrives after a successful four-year period at Real Madrid, where he added another three Champions League titles and two La Liga trophies to his extensive resume. The veteran coach also lifted domestic league titles in England, France, Germany, and Italy, managing clubs like Chelsea, Paris St-Germain, Bayern Munich, and AC Milan.
His first official matches with the Selecao will come in the form of South American qualifiers for the World Cup. Brazil is set to face Ecuador away on 5 June, followed by a home fixture against Paraguay in São Paulo on 10 June. He was welcomed at his unveiling by Luiz Felipe Scolari, a former Brazil coach, and takes over from Dorival Junior, who was dismissed after a 4–1 loss to Argentina in March.
Brazil currently sits fourth in the qualifying table, with four games remaining. The top six teams from the continent will earn a direct spot at the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The national team’s recent performances have raised concerns, with their struggles tracing back to a quarter-final exit to Croatia on penalties in the 2022 World Cup. Since then, Brazil has suffered five defeats in 14 matches and allowed 16 goals.
Casemiro and Richarlison return for qualifiers
Ancelotti’s first squad selection features the return of midfielder Casemiro and striker Richarlison, both of whom last featured in a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay in October 2023. They are among 25 players called up for the upcoming June qualifiers.
Also named in the squad are Liverpool’s Alisson, Fulham’s Andreas Pereira, Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes, and Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal. Matheus Cunha, currently at Wolves and expected to join Manchester United, is also included.
Antony, who is playing on loan at Real Betis, is part of the group as well. The winger is due to play in the Conference League final against Chelsea this week. Neymar will not be part of the squad as he continues to recover from a thigh injury, though he recently made a substitute appearance for Santos in a domestic league match.
The goalkeepers selected are Alisson, Bento of Al-Nassr, and Hugo Souza from Corinthians. The defense includes Flamengo players Alex Sandro, Danilo, Leo Ortiz, and Wesley, along with Alexsandro from Lille, PSG’s Lucas Beraldo and Marquinhos, Carlos Augusto of Inter Milan, and Vanderson of Monaco.
In midfield, the options are Andreas Pereira, Andrey Santos of Strasbourg, Casemiro, Atalanta’s Ederson, Bruno Guimaraes, and Gerson of Flamengo. The forwards named are Antony, Estevao from Palmeiras, Vinicius Jr from Real Madrid, Barcelona’s Raphinha, Richarlison, Martinelli, and Cunha.
