Brazil ‘resume talks to appoint Carlo Ancelotti for the 2026 World Cup’

The Brazilian football federation has reportedly renewed its interest in Carlo Ancelotti and would like the Italian to be in charge for the 2026 World Cup.  

This comes in the wake of Brazil’s embarrassing 4-1 defeat by bitter rivals Argentina in World Cup qualifying on Tuesday night. The result left Brazil down in fourth place, with the first six teams from CONMEBOL qualifying automatically for the tournament in the USA, Mexico, and Canada. 

Back in 2023, the CBF pursued the 65-year-old and were prepared to make him the first foreign head coach in the nation’s history.

According to The Athletic, the federation has again been in touch with the Italian as pressure mounts on incumbent Dorival Junior. The report also says Madrid claimed to be unaware of contact between their manager and the CBF.

Earlier, Brazil legend Ronaldo Nazario claimed that the Selecao’s pursuit 
of Carlo Ancelotti in 2023 was ‘not a fantasy’ after he turned down their approach. 

Ancelotti was in the final year of his contract at the Bernabeu and Brazil were confident of luring him to side where several of his Los Blancos stars play their national football. 

CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues, who was re-elected this week unopposed, told the nation Ancelotti would be taking the job when his Madrid contract expired in 2024, just in time for the Copa America, in the USA in June. 

‘He will be here, you can be sure,’ said Rodrigues of Ancelotti.

Sadly, the appointment did not happen after Fernando Diniz was tasked to look after the team temporarily alongside his role as head coach of Fluminense, Junior was chosen to lead the outfit.

Ronaldo revealed that Madrid came close to dismissing Ancelotti, which would have paved the way for his arrival in Brazil. 

‘It was not a fantasy because I helped in the process by talking to Carlo, but he was not released,’ he told Charla Podcast. ‘Real Madrid did not release him. 

‘After negotiating everything got stuck because he didn’t have Real Madrid’s release. 

‘If he hadn’t won anything, Real Madrid would have fired him and Ancelotti would have come, but he won the Champions League and stayed for another year.’