Carlo Ancelotti will officially become the head coach of the Brazilian national team starting May 26. The Italian coach was appointed to lead the Selecao to the 2026 World Cup, with the hope of ending their long wait for a world title which they last won in 2002.
Ancelotti replaces Dorival Junior who was sacked in March after a 4-1 defeat to Argentina in qualifying. Here are some reasons why Ancelotti is considered capable of success with the Brazilian national team, summarized from several sources:
1. Calm and friendly character
Ancelotti is widely known for his calm demeanor and warm leadership approach. He even wrote a book called Quiet Leadership, which describes his leadership philosophy.
This character is very suitable to handle the great pressure as coach of the Brazilian national team, especially with eternal rivals, Argentina, now holding the status of world champions.
During his career, Ancelotti has proven capable of coaching big European clubs such as Real Madrid, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain. According to Brazilian legend Zico, Ancelotti is a figure respected by all parties, including opponents.
"Ancelotti would be ideal because everyone respects him. He knows football and understands that players are more important than tactics," Zico said in 2023 as quoted by AFP.