MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) 鈥� It took a while for Carlo Ancelotti to become popular in Brazil.
He brought a banged-up squad to the , and Brazil’s lackluster draw with Morocco didn鈥檛 help his cause. But with back-to-back 3-0 victories 鈥� over and 鈥� Brazil is into the knockout stage with restored confidence and title aspirations.
It appears Ancelotti is finally hitting his stride with the five-time World Cup champion.
鈥淗e鈥檚 the greatest manager of all time,鈥� Brazil fan Luca Scapinelli said ahead of Wednesday鈥檚 win over Scotland. 鈥淔ive Champions Leagues, he鈥檚 won every single big European league. He can bring a lot to the table. We haven鈥檛 had a coach this great in forever.鈥�
That track record of success in club football 鈥� notably with Real Madrid and AC Milan 鈥� was why Brazil, which hasn鈥檛 won a World Cup since 2002, just over a year ago.
The common denominator of Brazil鈥檚 tournament success so far has been . The Real Madrid star, who had struggled to produce the same kind of quality for his country as he so often does for his club, has scored in each game at this World Cup, including two against Scotland, giving him four in total.
The 67-year-old Ancelotti coached Vin铆cius at Madrid from 2021-25, helping transform him into a global star. The tandem won two Champions Leagues, two La Liga titles, and a Copa del Rey during that stint.
鈥淚t is satisfying because I had no doubt about how he could arrive at this World Cup,鈥� Ancelotti said of Vin铆cius. 鈥淔or him, it is an honor to play for the national team. He is one of the best in the world, obviously.鈥�
After his goal against Haiti, Vin铆cius said that Ancelotti playing him in a different position than what he is accustomed to has helped him score more goals.
鈥淚 need to listen to him more,鈥� Vin铆cius said jokingly. 鈥淔or sure when we get to the dressing room, he鈥檒l say he knows a lot about football.鈥�
Ancelotti, in his initial unveiling as Brazil鈥檚 coach, said he had always felt 鈥渁 special connection鈥� with the country and fully understood that there’s 鈥渁 lot of expectation that Brazil will become champions once again.鈥�
That connection seems to be manifesting at the right time. When Ancelotti’s name was announced before the Scotland game, the largely yellow-clad crowd gave him a rousing ovation.
鈥淚 like that he鈥檚 really into Brazilian culture,鈥� said Caio Monteiro, a Brazil fan from Belo Horizonte. 鈥淗e wanted to learn the anthem, he wanted to learn Portuguese, and he did in just a few months.鈥�
Some fans weren’t thrilled with the hiring of a foreign coach, but that seems to have dissipated.
鈥淚f you look at our league in Brazil, all of the best teams have foreign coaches,鈥� S茫o Paulo native Humberto Silva said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 just the way it has to be now.鈥�
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Zach Pascuzzi is a student in the University of Georgia鈥檚 Carmical Sports Media Institute.
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