“He (Carlo Ancelotti) has never been Italy’s coach. Why isn’t he solving Italy’s problems, who didn’t even get a chance to play in the last (2022) World Cup?” – This is how current Brazilian President Lula da Silva explained his position after rumors about Carlo Ancelotti started in Brazil in 2023.
The head of state was opposed, but the head of the football association (CBF), Edinaldo Rodriguez, was in favor of Ancelotti. In the end, he has done the almost impossible. Italian coach Ancelotti will be in the dugout of the Brazilian national team from May 2025.
After Ancelotti was confirmed as the coach, Brazilian President Lula da Silva had to speak on this issue once again. This time, however, Lula did not speak in favor of Ancelotti. The Italian has acknowledged this coach as a great coach, but does he want to see him in the national team?
In response to a question from reporters in China, Lula da Silva said, “To be honest, I have no objection to him being a foreigner… I think we have a coach in our country who can manage the Seleção.”
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Lula da Silva has also brought up the issue of coaching someone from his own country. In fact, Carlo Ancelotti is the first foreign coach in the long history of Brazilian football. No foreign coach has ever coached Brazil full-time before. The last foreign coach in the Brazilian national team was in 1965. Filpo Nunez from neighboring Argentina came to coach the Seleção. However, he was on a part-time basis.
Again, this is the first time for Ancelotti to take charge of a national team. However, there is no room for questioning him as a coach. He has achieved enormous success at the club level. He is the only coach in the world of football to have won titles in all of Europe’s top five leagues. He also has the unique feat of winning 5 Champions Leagues as a coach.
And that’s exactly why Lula da Silva has high expectations from Ancelotti, even though he may not be able to accept it from his heart. “(I hope) he can help Brazil and the team. First, we have to qualify for the World Cup, then, if possible, we have to win the World Cup.”
It is worth noting that Ancelotti will be the coach of Brazil from the last week of May or May 26. This Italian coach has been contracted as the coach of Brazil until 2026. Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to become the coach of Brazil in exchange for 85 thousand US dollars per month. He is getting 10 million US dollars annually. And there is a bonus amount with it. If Brazil can win the 2026 World Cup, Ancelotti will get another 5 million US dollars in bonus.
