Brazil are in a bad way. We know this because Neymar's fitness has been a topic of national debate for the past few months. Believe it or not, there are a significant number of Brazilians that believe that the Selecao has no chance of winning this summer's World Cup without a 34-year-old forward who has neither been fit nor good enough to play for his country since 2023.
Former midfielder Felipe Melo argued that even a one-legged Neymar would be Brazil's best option at No.10 - which tells you everything you need to know about the general lack of faith in the rest of the country's attackers.
However, the outcome of Brazil's 2026 campaign doesn't depend on the availability of their all-time leading goal-scorer. In reality, it's all about Carlo Ancelotti, one of the finest coaches in football history and arguably the only man capable of leading a sub-standard Selecao to a sixth world title.
In demand
Ancelotti has long been Brazil's dream manager. "He is unanimously respected among players," former Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues told Reuters all the way back in 2023, "not only Ronaldo Nazario or Vinicius Junior, but all those that have played for him.
"I really admire him for his honesty in the way he works and how consistent his work is. He needs no introduction. He is really a top coach who has several achievements and we hope he can have even more.
"And Ancelotti is not only the players' favourite, but it seems the fans' too. Everywhere I go in Brazil, in every stadium, he is the first name the supporters ask me about. They talk about him in a very affectionate way, in recognition of the exemplary work he has done in his career.
"Let's have faith in God, wait for the appropriate time and we'll see if we can make it happen as we look for the new coach of the Brazilian national team."
Tellingly, the players were just as excited about the prospect of Ancelotti taking over. Ederson even joked about doing his utmost to help Manchester City knock Madrid out of the Champions League "so that Ancelotti can come to Brazil as quickly as possible!"
New adventure
Ancelotti admitted himself that the constant talk of him succeeding Tite as the Selecao's permanent coach had been brought up in a Madrid dressing containing Casemiro, Vinicius, Eder Militao and Rodrygo.
"We are friends," the Italian said, "so they joke and laugh about it a lot. But the reality is different: I have a contract until 2024." And Ancelotti didn't just honour that agreement, he ended up extending it until 2026, which appeared to put paid to Brazil's hopes of the Italian leading their World Cup campaign.
However, things change quickly in football, and particularly at the Bernabeu, where Florentino Perez decided it was time for an overhaul after a trying 2024-25 season that ended trophy-less.
Ancelotti wasn't the least bit bitter. "If someone had said we could win 11 trophies in four years, I would have signed up for that in blood," he admitted. "This year wasn’t good, but the period has been unforgettable.
"I don’t regret a thing. I’ve had a good time, I think everyone has, but everything comes to a close. Football, like life, is an adventure that ends one day." And it helped that he already had another adventure lined up.
Boring Brazil
International football was essentially the final frontier for Ancelotti, the coach who had conquered Europe five times in total (twice with AC Milan and three times with Madrid), and the only man to have won all five of the continent's 'Big Five' leagues.
There was also no bigger job than Brazil - in every sense. The five-time world champions haven't lifted the trophy since 2002 and have fallen on hard times.
The problem wasn't so much that they were no longer winning; it was more that they were losing their identity. Brazil were no longer playing with their famed flamboyance. A nation renowned for its 'Jogo Bonito' had become boring - and that was too much for some fans to take. Ronaldinho even retired from supporting the Selecao in 2024 - before the Copa America.
"That's it folks, I've had enough," the iconic No.10 posted on Instagram after watching a 1-1 friendly draw with the United States. "This is a sad moment for those who love Brazilian football. It's getting hard to find the spirit to watch the games.
"This is perhaps one of the worst teams in recent years. It has no respectable leaders, only average players for the majority."
