Carlo Ancelotti took a while to become popular in Brazil. He arrived at a beaten squad and the lackluster draw against Morocco did not help. But two consecutive 3-0 victories – against Haiti and Scotland – restored confidence to the Canarinha, which is already in the knockout phase with title aspirations.
Ancelotti’s connection with the country
“He is the best coach of all time,” says fan Luca Scapinelli before the victory against Scotland. “Five Champions Leagues, he has won all the major European leagues. He can contribute a lot. We have not had a coach this great in a long time.”
That record explains why Brazil, without a world title since 2002, hired the Italian just over a year ago. In his presentation, Ancelotti stated that he always felt “a special connection” with the country and that he understands “a lot of expectation that Brazil will be champion again.”
Now that connection is manifest. Against Scotland, the public cheered his name. “I like that he really got into Brazilian culture,” says Caio Monteiro, a fan from Belo Horizonte. “He wanted to learn the anthem, he wanted to learn Portuguese, and he did it in just a few months.”
Some fans were wary of a foreign coach, but that dissipated. “If you look at our league in Brazil, all the best teams have foreign coaches,” remembers Humberto Silva, from São Paulo. “This is how it has to be now.”
Vinícius Júnior, the key factor
The common denominator of Brazilian success in the tournament has been Vinícius Júnior. The Real Madrid star, who previously had difficulties with the national team, has scored in every World Cup match – including two against Scotland – for a total of four goals.
Ancelotti led Vinícius in Madrid from 2021 to 2025 and transformed him into a world figure. They won two Champions Leagues, two Spanish Leagues and a Copa del Rey. “It’s satisfying because I had no doubt about how I could get to this World Cup,” Ancelotti said. “For him, it is an honor to play for the national team. He is one of the best in the world, obviously.”
After his goal against Haiti, Vinícius pointed out that the coach has helped him score more by changing his position. “I need to listen to him more. Surely when we get to the locker room, we will say that he knows a lot about football,” he joked.
Brazil regained confidence and the figure of Ancelotti, at 67 years old, seems to consolidate himself as the leader that the five-time champion needed.
