A day after landing in Brazil, Carlo Ancelotti announced his first call-up for the Brazilian national team and showed polite diplomacy during his press conference.
"My first impressions are very good. It’s an honor, a great pride to coach the team that is the best in the world," said the Italian coach.
His rhetorical exaggeration can be attributed to good manners, but he’s not far from the truth. Despite Brazil failing to finish higher than fourth in recent World Cup editions, it remains the most successful team in the tournament’s history, with five titles.
Soccer Football - Brazil unveils new coach Carlo Ancelotti - Grand Hyatt, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - May 26, 2025 New Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti during the press conference REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes - Ricardo Moraes/REUTERS
In other competitions, Brazil’s national team is always considered a favorite, even though the country’s top domestic competition —the Campeonato Brasileiro— still falls short compared to Europe’s major leagues.
Even so, considering currency disparities and differences in living standards between countries, it’s fair to say that the Campeonato Brasileiro has reached a high level as a sports product.
In contrast, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), responsible for both the national team and domestic tournaments, has never climbed even the first rung on the ladder of good corporate governance. Founded in 1979 as a private entity, it has been synonymous with corruption scandals for decades.
Ricardo Teixeira, its longest-serving president, left office in 2012 leaving behind a trail of shady dealings. His successor, José Maria Marin, finished his term in 2015, but not before getting embroiled in the Fifagate scandal and being banned from football. Since then, no executive has managed to complete a full term at the helm of the CBF.
The most recent ousting came through a court order and targeted Ednaldo Rodrigues —who, in one of his final acts, was the one who hired Ancelotti.
Despite being unanimously re-elected and receiving backing from Supreme Court Justice Gilmar Mendes, Rodrigues couldn’t withstand the flood of accusations against him.
He was replaced on Sunday (25) by the little-known Samir Xaud, a doctor recently appointed head of the Roraima Football Federation —a role inherited from his father, who led the entity for more than 40 years.
It’s unlikely that Ancelotti is fully aware of this storyline, surreal even by Brazilian standards. So perhaps he didn’t realize how true his other words were: "I have a big job ahead to make Brazil a champion again."
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