SAO PAULO (AP) — The Brazilian Football Confederation announced on Monday that it had reached an agreement with Carlo Ancelotti to take over as head coach of the national team with an eye toward the 2026 World Cup and possibly beyond.
The 65-year-old Italian, who has yet to comment on the deal, will leave Real Madrid and become Brazil’s first full-time foreign manager in a century.
Ancelotti holds a contract with Madrid that expires next year, but an early termination is expected. The final matchday of the Spanish league is scheduled for May 25.
“Taking Carlo Ancelotti to lead Brazil is more than a strategic decision,” said Ednaldo Rodrigues, president of the CBF, in a statement. “It is a statement to the world of our determination to reclaim the top podium.”
“He is the greatest coach in history and now he is at the helm of the planet’s best national team. Together, we will write new glorious chapters for Brazilian football,” Rodrigues added.
The next two matches for the five-time world champions in South American qualifying will be in Ecuador on June 5 and, five days later, against Paraguay in São Paulo.
Ancelotti replaces Dorival Júnior, who held the post for 14 months and was dismissed in March after a 4-1 defeat to reigning world champions Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Brazil sits in fourth place in the World Cup qualifying table after 14 matches. Neymar, the 33-year-old superstar, is still trying to regain his best form after suffering an ACL injury in 2023. The six best teams in South America will qualify directly for the World Cup to be staged in the United States, Mexico, and Canada in just under a year.
