Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva expressed criticism over the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as the new Brazil football coach, suggesting that the Italian coach should focus on resolving the problems faced by the Italian national team.
Carlo Ancelotti, renowned for his four Champions League victories as a coach, will officially assume his role ahead of the Copa America in the United States next June, following the completion of his contract with Real Madrid.
While acknowledging his admiration for Ancelotti, President Lula questioned the decision, stating, “Why does he not resolve Italy’s problem, who did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup?” Lula, aged 77, shared his views during an interview with TV station SBT on Thursday.
In the interim, Fernando Diniz, the coach of Fluminense, will be in charge of Brazil’s opening 2026 World Cup qualifiers. President Lula expressed his support for Diniz, describing him as having the necessary personality, creativity, and leadership skills.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) has chosen 64-year-old Ancelotti with hopes that one of the most successful coaches in European football history will guide Brazil to their sixth World Cup trophy, the first since 2002. The desire for success has intensified following Argentina’s victory in Qatar last December.
Brazil’s disappointing quarterfinal exit in the previous World Cup led to the resignation of coach Tite. President Lula commented on the challenges faced by coaches, saying, “It is very easy to coach a club in Europe with 11 international players in the team. What is difficult is to come here and coach Corinthians, who are in danger of relegation from the top league. I would like to see if Ancelotti did a good job with Corinthians.”
President Lula expressed pessimism about the upcoming World Cup qualifiers, stating that regardless of the coach, Brazil’s current generation of players will face tough challenges. He attributed this to a decline in the level of players compared to previous eras.
Carlo Ancelotti will become the fourth non-Brazilian coach to lead the national team. The last non-Brazilian coach was Argentine Filpo Nunez, who was in charge for a single game in 1965.
