Carlo Ancelotti Named Head Coach of Brazil

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has officially tapped Carlo Ancelotti to take over as head coach of the national team, a historic first for a foreign manager in over 100 years. The 65-year-old Italian will wrap up his time at Real Madrid after the 2024-25 La Liga season ends on May 26, 2025, and jump straight into preparing Brazil for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. After months of rumors, the CBF is thrilled to bring in Ancelotti, whose resume boasts five Champions League trophies and league titles in all of Europe’s top five leagues.

“Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to lead Brazil is more than a strategic move. It’s a statement to the world that we are determined to reclaim the top spot,” said CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues. Ancelotti signed a one-year deal with an option to stick around through 2030, and he’ll kick things off with qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June 2025.

Ancelotti’s departure from Real Madrid comes after a tough season with no silverware, including a painful 4-3 loss to Barcelona in El Clasico and a Champions League quarterfinal exit against Arsenal. Even though his contract ran through 2026, Real Madrid let him go, and Xabi Alonso, fresh off his stint at Bayer Leverkusen, is lined up to take over. The CBF gave a shout-out to Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Perez, and businessman Diego Fernandes for helping seal the deal.

Brazil’s been in a rough patch since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup, sitting fourth in South American qualifying after a 4-1 loss to Argentina led to coach Dorival Junior’s exit. Fans are hopeful Ancelotti’s experience and his connection with Brazilian stars like Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo from Real Madrid will turn things around. As he steps into his first-ever international coaching gig, all eyes are on whether Ancelotti can lead Brazil back to World Cup glory.