After a devastating loss against Croatia in the World Cup semifinals, Brazil has started their hunt to replace former coach Tite with perhaps the most successful European club manager ever reportedly in the mix.
Recent reports have placed current Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti as the one of the Brazilian Football Federation's (CBF) top candidates to lead their squad into the 2026 World Cup.
Ancelotti a top candidate for the Brazil job
This may come as a surprise to many, but it's reported that Ancelotti was actually consulted over the possibility of coaching the pentacampeāo after the World Cup back in October, but Ancelotti wasn't open to any negotiations until the job was vacant.
Ancelotti's said to be interested and open to a potential offer, but there's practically no possibility of him taking over before the end of the 2022-23 season with Real Madrid.
Carlo Ancelotti foi procurado, ainda antes da Copa, e se mostrou interessado em ouvir o projeto da seleção brasileira. Avisou, no entanto, que só aceitaria deixar o Real Madrid ao término da temporada (jun/23). Um interino assumiria até lá. A possibilidade está em cima da mesa
— Bruno Andrade (@brunoandrd) December 12, 2022
If Brazil have the Italian manager at the top of their list and are willing to accept his conditions, the seleção would have to keep an interim manager for six months until the European club season is over in June — an idea that's not very welcome at the CBF.
Ancelotti is retiring from club soccer after Real Madrid
Carletto has won every trophy possible at club level — becoming the first manager to win a league title in each of the top 5 European leagues last season.
Become the manager in history to win all of Europe’s Top 5 leagues.
Became the manager with the most Champions League trophies in history.Don Carlo Ancelotti. pic.twitter.com/cQN0D1VsZg
— TC (@totalcristiano) May 29, 2022
After practically "completing" European club soccer, the six-time Champions League winner (four as coach, two as player) stated at the beginning of the 2022-23 season that he would retire when his job with Los Blancos ends.
Carlo Ancelotti: “After Real Madrid, I will retire. This chapter will close my career as manager”, tells to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero. ⚪️ #RealMadrid
“Real Madrid means top level, so it makes sense to consider this club as the end of my career”. pic.twitter.com/SKg3bqSmVl— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 13, 2022
Although it's uncertain when that would be (his current contract expires in 2024 with an option to renew), the 63-year-old sounded keen on finishing his career in Spain.
“Real is the top of football. It makes sense to put an end to it after this experience,” Ancelotti said in August.
Is an international trophy all that’s left?
Ancelotti’s accolades put him at the top of the GOAT manager list, but not unanimously.
An international trophy, and in this case one with a trophy-desperate Brazil, would most definitely be an argument to call him the greatest manager of all time.
The opportunity to win a Copa América in 2024, a World Cup in 2026 and to do it all while leading players such as Vinícius Jr, Rodrygo and Éder Militão (current Real Madrid players) in their prime? That's a very tempting job.
At the end of the day, the link is still just a rumor and Ancelotti very rarely speaks without being sure of himself and the future.
But even though we’re unsure of his intentions, an international job after Real Madrid is not something the Italian has ruled out.
Carlo Ancelotti: “After this Real Madrid chapter I will probably retire. But if Real wants me to stay here 10 years, I'll stay another 10 years”, tells @AAlciato on @primevideoit. ⚪️ #RealMadrid
“National team in the future can be an option. Canada? Why not? I’d like it”. pic.twitter.com/mjhBQm5qJn— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 3, 2022
Did we forget to mention more vacation time for Don Carlo?
| Our boss, Carlo Ancelotti resting on vacation. @marca pic.twitter.com/Jv89adMgk8
— Blancos Central (@BlancosCentral) June 16, 2021
