In an exciting development for football fans, Carlo Ancelotti, the esteemed coach, is set to take charge of the Brazilian national team next summer. Ancelotti's current contract with Real Madrid will conclude, paving the way for his new role with Brazil. The announcement was made by Ednaldo Rodrigues, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, who revealed the plan. As part of an intriguing move, Fernando Diniz, the current Fluminense boss, has been appointed on a 12-month contract, after which Ancelotti will assume his position in June 2024.
Brazilian Football Confederation president Ednaldo Rodrigues expressed his thoughts on the matter, stating, "His (Diniz) game plan is almost similar to that of the coach that will take over at Copa America, Ancelotti. We don't call him an interim coach of the national team. He will come and make the transition in Brazil for Ancelotti."
While Real Madrid has yet to comment on Ancelotti's association with Brazil, no details about his contract with the South American nation have been disclosed.
If Ancelotti assumes the role, he will be the first non-Brazilian manager to lead the team since a brief stint by Argentinian Filpo Nunez in 1965. While three non-Brazilians have previously managed the team, none have succeeded in guiding the country to a World Cup victory, making Ancelotti's potential achievement a historic one.
The position of Brazil's head coach has been vacant since Tite resigned following the team's quarter-final exit in the 2022 World Cup against Croatia. In recent friendlies against African teams, the five-time world champions were managed by Under-20 manager Ramon Menezes, but their performances have been less than satisfactory, with their latest defeat being a 4-2 loss to Senegal.
The 64-year-old Ancelotti embarked on his second spell at Real Madrid in 2021 after leaving Everton. Since his return, he has achieved numerous successes, including winning the Champions League, La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Club World Cup. His triumph with Real Madrid in the 2022 Champions League final marked his fourth European title as a manager, with two of those victories coming during his tenure with AC Milan.