Carlo Ancelotti is the new coach of Brazil’s national football team

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) on Monday (May 12) announced Italian Carlo Ancelotti as the new coach of Brazil’s national team. In a statement, the organization said that Ancelotti—called by CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues “the greatest coach in history”—will lead the squad until the 2026 World Cup.

“Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to lead Brazil is more than a strategic move, it’s a statement to the world that we are determined to regain the top spot on the podium. He’s the greatest coach in history and now he’s in charge of the greatest team on the planet. Together we will write glorious new chapters for Brazilian football,” Rodrigues said in a statement published by CBF.

The confederation also released a video in which Rodrigues thanks the Brazilian fans for their “patience and support” during the long negotiations with the Italian coach. Ancelotti is coming to coach the seleção for the next two World Cup qualifiers—against Ecuador on June 5 and Paraguay on June 10.

The Italian is still working for Real Madrid in Spain, and is not expected to take over Brazil’s national team until May 26, after the end of La Liga. Real Madrid still have three games to play—against Mallorca (May 14), Sevilla (May 18), and Real Sociedad (May 24). He may be cleared before May 26 if Barcelona—currently seven points clear of Real Madrid—win the title early.

The announcement puts an end to a drama that has been dragging on for nearly two years. In July 2023, the Brazilian confederation was already negotiating with Ancelotti, who would be in charge of Real Madrid until the middle of that year. But the Spanish club renewed Ancelotti’s contract, keeping him in Spain and postponing his move to the seleção.

International coaches

Ancelotti will be the third international coach to lead the Brazilian squad. The first was Uruguayan Ramón Platero, who managed Vasco in 1925. He was invited to coach the seleção in that year’s South American Championship in Argentina—now Copa América. In a total of four matches, he won two, drew one, and lost one.

The second was Argentinian Filpo Nuñez, when Palmeiras, which he managed, represented the national team in a friendly against Uruguay at the inauguration of the Mineirão stadium in 1965. Brazil won 3–0.

In 1943, Portuguese Jorge Gomes de Lima, known as Joreca, played alongside Brazilian Flávio Costa in two friendly victories against Uruguay, but he was not the head coach.

*Sergio du Bocage from TV Brasil contributed to this article.