Ancelotti: ‘I don’t win just because of relationships, I know all aspects of the game’

“A manager’s job is very difficult because you have to manage so many things. There’s the relationship with the players, with the club, with the press, with the fans. There are so many aspects of this job that you have to manage. The most challenging of those is the relationship with people – and it’s also the most important.”

Ancelotti has often been described as more of a ‘man-manager’ rather than a revolutionary tactician, but this is a sentiment that the coach doesn’t agree with: “I don’t win titles just because of my relationship with the players,” he insisted.

“The relationships I have with players help because it allows you to get the most out of the player. Sometimes even more than the maximum. But that is just one part of the game. It doesn’t matter to me whether people say I am or I am not a good tactician. All I can say is that I know all aspects of the game very well.”

epa12137461 Italian Carlo Ancelotti attends a press conference where he was presented as new head coach of men’s Brazilian national soccer team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 26 May 2025. Ancelotti announced his first squad list for Brazil’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay. EPA-EFE/Andre Coelho

It has now been 50 years since Ancelotti made his professional debut as a player, and it’s fair to say that plenty has changed within the sport in the time that has passed since then.

“Football continues to change. I try to adapt to what’s happening. Football today is more analytical, much more intense, more physical. Some tactics, particularly defensive ones, aren’t as important today as they were 10 years ago. The new generation of coaches focus more on attacking play than on defence,” said Ancelotti.

Turning the focus to his current role in charge of Brazil, Ancelotti said: “I really like the Brazilian spirit. Brazilians have a special love for the yellow jersey. This special love for the national team is very much a Brazilian trait. In other countries, the national team isn’t as important as it is in Brazil.

“Brazil has preserved its own culture. It’s a country that knows how to value the importance of family and religion. These are things that Europe has lost. In sport, Europeans don’t have the same love for the national team shirt. I really admire the joy of the Brazilian people, the energy the country has and the beauty of Rio de Janeiro. This is very clear, especially at carnival. I really like Brazil.

epa12137464 Italian Carlo Ancelotti (L) and the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), Samir Xaud, attend a press conference where Ancelotti was presented as new head coach of men’s Brazilian national soccer team, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 26 May 2025. EPA-EFE/ANDRE COELHO

“Religion has taught me good things like how to conduct myself in life, how to respect others. I am Catholic and religion has been very important to me and has taught me to be a good person in the world.”

Ancelotti says that he hopes to alleviate some of the pressure from one of his star players, Vinicius Junior, whom he knows well from their time together at Real Madrid.

“Look, the responsibility he carries for Brazil is huge, especially recently. This responsibility can be a burden for him. Our job in the national team is to take some of that weight off his shoulders so he can play with joy, energy and all the qualities he possesses.

“I see Vinícius as I saw him at Real Madrid: a spectacular player and a spectacular person who can win a match on his own. He’ll be very important for Brazil at the World Cup. But being the No 1? The star player? We don’t need a No 1. We can’t focus everything on just one player. We must think as a team. That’s the only way to win the World Cup.”

There are also growing calls for veteran Neymar to be included in the Selecao for the 2026 World Cup.

“Neymar’s call-up depends only on him,” Ancelotti said. “It depends on what the player shows on the pitch. That’s a very clear criteria and that is not only for Neymar. With most players you need to assess talent and physical condition. With Neymar we only need to assess his physical condition because his talent is beyond question. It depends on him, not on me.”

BELO HORIZONTE, BRAZIL – AUGUST 10: Neymar Jr of Santos takes the field for the match between Cruzeiro and Santos in the Brasileirão 2025 at Mineirão Stadium on August 10, 2025 in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. (Photo by Pedro Vilela/Getty Images)

There is also a chance for 41-year-old former Milan defender Thiago Silva: “Thiago Silva is on the radar, yes. He’s been playing very well, he won the Portuguese league and is in a great physical condition.

“Leaders are important. Fortunately, this squad has highly respected leaders. Leaders who don’t say much but set a good example, such as Alisson, Casemiro, Marquinhos and Raphinha. In that sense, the squad is in good hands.

“I have a very talented squad. Also, the motivation that this country has to win again after 24 years is enormous. I’m convinced we’re going to have a great World Cup.”