Brazilian social media is full of memes about teenager striker Endrick and Carlo Ancelotti that paint their working relationship as "whatever the player wants to do, Ancelotti does the opposite." But the reality is that Endrick would walk through fire for his coach.
"He [Ancelotti] acts on his thoughts, and things just happen," Endrick said, ahead of Brazil's round-of-16 game vs. Norway. "It's as if God looks down on him and speaks ... he's illuminated. Everyone is following his plan. When he asks me to do something, I'll do it. I won't look back; I'll just listen to his voice and do whatever he asks of me."
It wasn't always like this ... far from it. The years since Brazil's quarterfinal exit to Croatia at Qatar 2022 have been turbulent; Ancelotti is their fourth manager since the much-loved Tite quit after Qatar 2022. Before him, Ramon Menezes was caretaker for three games, then Fernando Diniz for six, before Dorival Junior lasted 16 with a winning percentage of just 43.75%. And all the while the Brazilian FA tried to woo Real Madrid boss Ancelotti.
In May 2025 they got their man. And since his first news conference where he talked about the weight of the wait for the sixth World Cup star, and how it was time to forge a new identity, Ancelotti has been changing things at the Selecao. The days of Jogo Bonito are gone; this is Ancelotti-ball.
A quiet evolution
The pressure on every generation since Brazil's men's team last won the World Cup in 2002 has been immense. "I think Brazil's responsibility is to win the World Cup," forward Matheus Cunha said on Friday.
Every game at this World Cup, the icons have watched down from the stands like benevolent Roman Emperors. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Roberto Carlos and Dunga are all there, and every World Cup which passes without this team matching the immortals of 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002 adds pressure.
It hasn't been a straightforward World Cup so far for Brazil. Before a ball was kicked they lost Estêvão, Éder Militão and Rodrygo through injury, then they started poorly with a 1-1 draw against Morocco. They showed more of themselves in the 3-0 win over Haiti, but also saw Raphinha injured before a 3-0 win over Scotland.
And then came the Round of 32 match with Japan where they struggled in the first half and went into the break 1-0 down. Midfielder Casemiro, 34, came in for plenty of criticism, especially for his role in the Japan goal, but Ancelotti stuck with him, and in the 56th minute Casemiro scored the equalizer. Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli then grabbed the winner six minutes into injury time.
Through it all, the players have referenced how calm Ancelotti is. The Brazil fans have grown to love his raised eyebrow on the bench, and how understated he is even when they score a last-minute winner like Martinelli's against Japan.
"His calmness causes the impression that everything will be fine and takes pressure off the players," ESPN Brazil pundit André Kfouri says. And the players agree.
"We know his track record and just how much of a winner he is," Douglas Santos said. "He instilled a sense of calm in us that gave us strength, gave us energy, and the confidence to come back for the second half knowing the quality we have and that we could bring it into the game."
And they seem to have found solace in Ancelotti's understated management.
"My first season with Mister was one where I played a lot," Endrick, who worked with Ancelotti at Real Madrid, said. "Not many minutes, but I came on in almost every game. He always said my time would come. In the Copa del Rey, he played me more, and I was able to help the team. I scored goals in practically every game. I always stayed calm.
"He's one of the greatest coaches in the world; he knows exactly what to do. In that last game, the goal was scored by a guy who came off the bench. We can rest assured -- he'll always do what's best for the team."
But it has taken time for the Italian to win over Brazil. Despite his astonishing record of five Champions League titles and six domestic league titles across his time with AC Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, there were those who questioned his appointment to the Brazil job when it was rubberstamped in May 2025.
Traditionalists wanted a Brazilian coach instead of Ancelotti, who was the team's first foreign coach to manage them in a competitive match since 1925 when Uruguayan Ramon Platero was in charge for the South American Championship. Emerson Leao, the World Cup-winning goalkeeper from the 1970 vintage, was quick to criticize Ancelotti after his first two games in the hotseat where they drew with Ecuador and then edged past Paraguay 1-0.
"I think he's going to have a lot, not just a little, a lot of difficulty," he said. "And everyone who works with him -- Brazilians, athletes, managers, coaches, assistants, players -- have to cooperate. Because this process is going to get worse and worse."
Brazil lost to Bolivia, Japan and France before the 2026 World Cup, but some saw the quiet evolution Ancelotti was building after years of turbulence.
"I don't think he needs to convince anyone; his day-to-day work at the clubs speaks for itself, and with the national team he's done a good job," ex-Brazil international Ze Elias tells ESPN. "It took him a little while to understand, in some respects, the public outcry -- what Brazil is like, what Brazil means in relation to soccer, or what soccer means in Brazil. It's one thing to see it from the outside, it's another thing to experience it day to day, to understand the Brazilian mindset -- how soccer is a part of it."
A Brazilian Swiss Army knife
Ancelotti has done things his way. He called up 34-year-old defender Danilo when many thought his best days were behind him; he's stuck with Casemiro in the face of public opposition. And it's this self-assuredness which has established him as one of the world's best-ever coaches.
The Brazilian press have clearly noticed Ancelotti's eagerness to adapt and understand. He did a crash course in Portuguese when he got the job, and a year on, he freely switches between Portuguese, Spanish, Italian and English in any news conference.
Against Scotland, much to the delight of the fans watching, TV cameras picked out Ancelotti singing the national anthem. But still, his tenure is yet to be defined. Silas, who played for Brazil in the 1986 and 1990 World Cups, tells ESPN: "I believe he's succeeding [in winning over doubters], but there's still a long and arduous road ahead."
The doubters remain, because Brazil's form hasn't been sparkling, but if the team do win this World Cup, then Ancelotti's tactical acumen will have play a huge part. "His simplicity and ability to turn an atmosphere of skepticism into victories -- especially in the short time available due to the World Cup schedule -- are key," Silas adds.
Brazil's midfield lacked punch against Morocco in the opener and Ancelotti's adventurous 4-2-4 formation didn't click. So against Haiti, he focused more on ball recoveries and hustling the opposition to profit off counterattacks and transitional play. Against Haiti and Scotland, Vinícius Júnior was used more centrally, too. For Japan, after an arduous first half, Ancelotti encouraged his players to cross the ball more, especially from deep, to keep Japan pinned back in their own box. Eventually the dam burst. They've become the Brazilian equivalent of a Swiss Army knife.
Indeed, we've seen all variations at this World Cup, as Ancelotti himself previously said: "Brazil has many identities. I don't want a clear identity for the team, because my team has to do many things. I want my team to be able to do many things: defend with a low block, attack, make the most of the players' quality, be aggressive up front, drop back, be defensive in their own area."
Ancelotti summed this up neatly himself after the Brazil vs. Scotland match and those wanting the beautiful passing football and endless stepovers will be disappointed. "We know if we play well, it's easier to win," Ancelotti said. "But the goal is to win. A manager is only judged if he wins or loses -- it doesn't matter if we play well."
Managing the stars
Alongside the calmness, incredible footballing IQ and tactical judgement, another key factor is Ancelotti's man management of the team's stars. Brazilian football has long been obsessed with Neymar, the men's team's record goal scorer, and against Scotland the crowd started chanting for the 34-year-old winger the minute he started warming up before the match. But Ancelotti has managed his minutes well, given his injury history; Neymar came on against Scotland and made little difference, so was kept on the bench for the Japan game.
"Ancelotti's track record had a huge impact in terms of discipline, respect, responsibility, and understanding the significance and weight of the Brazilian national team jersey," Ze Elias says. "I think that was crucial, because hierarchy is very important on the Brazilian national team. You're dealing with established players on big-name teams with sky-high salaries, and if the coach doesn't have a strong influence and presence, you end up losing control of the situation a bit."
Neymar was always going to be a divisive pick for his final squad. Ancelotti said he was judging his players on form and fitness over reputation, and players like Richarlison, João Pedro and Savinho were left out. But Neymar, who before the tournament had last played for Brazil in October 2023, and had been out since mid-May with a Grade Two muscle injury, didn't fit that criteria.
One school of thought that including Neymar was an easy way to appease the public. But he still has that dab of magic to flip a match on its head.
"Regarding Neymar, I believe it comes down to treating him as part of the team: very important, but no longer a player on whom the national team depends as the main star," Silas says.
Ze Elias has been similarly impressed. "[Ancelotti] definitely spoke with [Neymar] personally, explained the situations and the circumstances to him, as well as his thoughts on the team, and made it clear that the group is more important than the individual -- that for Neymar to be there, he should behave like just another player and not as a special player with privileges, as he always has in the past."
That man management is the same across the board.
ESPN Brazil pundit Gustavo Zupak says: "He's taken the spotlight off the star players and tried to foster a sense of teamwork within the national team."
Meanwhile the team's new star, Vinicius Junior, has flourished. Before Ancelotti, Vinicius had six goals in 39 Brazil matches; since Ancelotti took charge, he's got seven in 13. Sources have told ESPN that the winger is happier than ever in a Brazil setup.
It's been so far, so good for Ancelotti. The Brazilian federation has clearly been impressed, given they extended his contract through to 2030 in May, but Ancelotti clearly knows how fickle expectation is. Norway and Erling Haaland are the next challenge, and only success will do.
One of the Brazilian journalists asked Ancelotti after the Scotland game what his message to the nation would be amid the growing excitement this could be the year they finally get their sixth World Cup trophy.
"Stay calm," Ancelotti said, eyebrow raised, a thin smile spreading over his face. But he knows as well as anybody, it's the winning that counts. If Brazil are still in the competition on July 19, then perhaps the greats in the stands will allow themselves a smile, too.
"If he can balance playing beautiful soccer with getting the result, great," Ze Elias says. "If he can't play beautiful soccer but can still get the result his way -- the Italian way -- by defending strongly, launching counterattacks, and ending up the world champions, that's also great; it's perfect."
Additional reporting from Jean Santos and Vinicius Garcia Ferreira