Carlo Ancelotti, one of the most respected and successful managers in football, is set to take over as head coach of Brazil’s national team, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed on Monday. Ancelotti will officially step into the role on May 26, immediately following the end of the La Liga season with Real Madrid.
CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues welcomed the Italian with high praise, calling him “the greatest coach in history” and expressing confidence that Ancelotti will help the Seleção write a new chapter in Brazilian football glory. The announcement signals a major move for Brazil, which has struggled to reclaim its dominance on the international stage in recent years.
During his illustrious career, Ancelotti has claimed 15 trophies in two stints at Real Madrid, highlighted by last season’s La Liga and Champions League double. But his tenure with the Spanish giants is nearing its close, with Madrid suffering a 4-3 defeat to Barcelona in El Clásico and facing the prospect of finishing the campaign without a major trophy.
With Real Madrid’s final league match scheduled for May 25, Ancelotti’s chapter at the Bernabéu will end just in time for him to take the reins in Brazil. Meanwhile, rumors are swirling around Xabi Alonso – the outgoing Bayer Leverkusen manager and a former Ancelotti player at Real Madrid – as a leading candidate to succeed the Italian at the Spanish club.
The Brazil job presents Ancelotti with a formidable challenge. The national team, ranked fifth in the world, has faltered in recent tournaments, falling to Croatia in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals and suffering another early exit in last year’s Copa América at the hands of Uruguay. Poor form led to the dismissal of previous manager Dorival Júnior in March, leaving Brazil in fourth place in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings.
Rodrigues described the hiring as more than just a tactical decision, but a declaration of intent to the football world. “Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to lead Brazil is a statement that we are determined to reclaim the top spot on the podium,” he said.
World Cup 2026
Ancelotti will be breaking new ground as the first foreign manager to lead Brazil’s national team, an unprecedented move for the Seleção. The CBF, in its official statement, called the incoming coach an “icon” and thanked Real Madrid for facilitating Ancelotti’s early release from his contract, which was originally set to expire in 2026. Real Madrid has yet to comment publicly on Ancelotti’s departure.
The Italian manager’s first challenge with Brazil comes in early June, when the team will face Ecuador, followed by a match against Paraguay. The real test, however, will be next year’s FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States, where expectations for Brazil will be as high as ever.
