How Ancelotti Rebuilt a Fractured Brazil
Brazil arrived at the 2026 World Cup carrying serious baggage. According to The Guardian, the Seleção went through four managers and called up 95 different players in the four years following their Qatar 2022 exit, all set against a political backdrop that included the removal of the Brazilian Football Confederation president. Fan sentiment had turned decisively pessimistic.
Then Carlo Ancelotti stepped in — and the mood shifted.
The Italian, who holds five Champions League titles as a manager, has steadied a dressing room that was evidently fraying. Senior players including goalkeeper Alisson, defender Marquinhos and midfielder Casemiro have all spoken openly about the difference his presence has made. Alisson described it plainly: the squad had experienced their difficult recent run first-hand, but since Ancelotti’s arrival “the atmosphere has been transformed.”
Marquinhos added that Ancelotti “knows how to get the best out of the players he has” and shifted the team’s mindset towards a philosophy built around wellbeing.
The Japan Test
Brazil’s round-of-32 win over Japan illustrated how fragile things could still look under pressure. Since 2023, the Seleção had conceded the first goal in 12 matches, losing seven of those. When Keishu Sano gave Japan the lead, old anxieties surfaced. But Ancelotti used the half-time break effectively, and Brazil came from behind to win. Forward Gabriel Martinelli, who scored the decisive goal, told CazeTV that Ancelotti told the players calmly at the break they would equalise and then go on to win — and they believed him.
Neymar’s Reduced Role
One of Ancelotti’s boldest calls has been managing Neymar’s involvement. The 34-year-old has played just 14 minutes at this tournament — a brief substitute appearance against Scotland — and was not used at all against Japan. The Guardian notes that less experienced coaches might have deferred to Neymar’s reputation regardless of form or fitness. Ancelotti has not. Vinícius Júnior is now Brazil’s clear talisman.
Ancelotti has also brought in psychologist Marisa Santiago — the first in that role at a Brazil World Cup — and speaks with her daily to work on the squad’s mental resilience.
The Norway Challenge
The deepest wound Ancelotti must now address is historical. Brazil have not beaten a European nation in a World Cup knockout match since defeating Germany in the 2002 final. Five consecutive eliminations by European sides since then loom large. Neutralising Erling Haaland will be the tactical puzzle, but the psychological preparation may prove just as important.
For the full picture on Brazil’s progress and where they sit in the draw, visit our World Cup 2026 hub and check the live standings.