From Zizou, Xavi To Klopp, Mancini, a slew of successful club managers follows the Italian to helm national teamsPanaji: What happens when one of the most decorated managers in club football takes over the world’s most successful international team? Logically, success should follow, but Carlo Ancelotti and Brazil haven’t quite hit the ground running.The Round of 16 exit at the 2026 World Cup extended Brazil’s title drought to 24 years, its longest, and threw up more questions than answers. Surely, coaching the Selecao isn’t easy, particularly when the nation has such a rich history.“Brazil is a really important national team, the most historical national team in the world,” Ancelotti tells TOI over a video call from Australia, where the team is based for two international friendlies. “We are trying to do our best. It is true that the last World Cup was not good for us, but this can be a motivation for us to do better in the future. The expectations in Brazil are really high about the national team.”Now 67, Ancelotti has seen it all. He has been coaching high-profile, success-driven club teams for more than three decades, yet Brazil remains unknown territory.“It’s different work, a different job, because there’s no day-to-day activity,” says Ancelotti. “The job is more to observe players, watch games, find a new player, understand the characteristics of the player, and to try to build a good national team.”The Italian says he’s enjoying his first stint as national head coach role after 34 years in coaching. “A lot,” he adds.Ancelotti took the big leap into the world of international football last year. Now, he’s joined by an array of stars. With Zinedine Zidane (France), Jurgen Klopp (Germany), Xavi Hernandez (Netherlands), Roberto Mancini (Italy) and Jorge Jesus (Portugal) leading European nations, rarely has it happened that so many accomplished club coaches have tested international waters.Ancelotti has a “good relationship with them” and is excited to meet them in some competition. He understands why they’ve taken the plunge.“Training a club is tough; the schedule is tough, you have to prepare for a game every three days, which is complicated than before. Some managers prefer to stay with the national team where you don’t have the stress and the intensity to prepare games every three days,” explains Ancelotti.Personally, Ancelotti has little to prove: he has a record five Champions League titles and trophies in all five of Europe’s major leagues. He has managed the world’s biggest football clubs, and now, Brazil remains the final frontier.“What I did is in the past,” says Ancelotti, at ease with himself. “Now, I am looking to the present and the future. I am very excited with the experience here in Brazil. I am sure we will do our best and achieve success.”Brazil have won the World Cup a record five times, with the last triumph in 2002. They’ve now gone 24 years without success, but if there’s someone who can end the drought, it has to be the man whose success is off the scale.
