Italian Carlo Ancelotti, one of the most decorated managers in world football, will become Brazil coach after leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season, the Brazilian FA (CBF) said on Monday after finally landing their first-choice candidate.
The 65-year-old Ancelotti has enjoyed four hugely successful years in his second tenure at the Spanish giants but they are set to finish this season without a trophy.
He is set to be replaced at the Bernabeu by former Real midfielder Xabi Alonso, with sources close to the 41-year-old former Spain international saying he has agreed a two-year deal with the option to extend it by an extra year.
"Ancelotti begins his mission next week," the CBF said in a statement. "He will meet with CBF officials to finalize the preliminary list of players called up for the World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay next month. On the 26th, in Brazil, the coach will announce the final squad."
Brazilian soccer sources said Ancelotti will sign a one-year deal to become the world's highest-paid national team coach ahead of the 2026 World Cup, with the option to extend his contract. Real have yet to announce Ancelotti's departure.
"Bringing Carlo Ancelotti to coach Brazil is more than a strategic move. It is a statement to the world that we are determined to regain football's top spot," CBF President Ednaldo Rodrigues said in the statement.
"He is the greatest coach in history and now he is at the helm of the greatest national team on the planet. Together, we will write new chapters in the glorious history of Brazilian football."
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'No-brainer'
The CBF's announcement confirms a highly anticipated move, ending a saga that has rumbled on for years.
Rodrigues first acknowledged in an exclusive interview with Reuters more than two years ago that he intended to sign Ancelotti, saying "it would be a no-brainer" having him in charge after coach Tite left following a heartbreaking loss on penalties to Croatia in the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals.
Rodrigues was unable to lure Ancelotti away from Real then and when the Italian extended his Real contract for two more years in December 2023 it appeared to end any chances of him taking over the five-times world champions any time soon.
However, after Brazil's new manager Dorival Jr was fired in March after just over a year in the job due to a series of bad results, Rodrigues turned to Ancelotti again.
The Italian had a year remaining on his contract but Real's underwhelming season and his desire to coach Brazil have led to a mutual agreement to part ways, soccer sources added.
An official announcement regarding a managerial change is expected before Real's last game of the season at home to Real Sociedad on May 25, when Ancelotti should receive a fitting farewell to recognize his great success with the club.
His replacement Alonso, 43, who said on Friday that he was leaving Bayer Leverkusen after guiding them to a domestic double last term, will join Real before the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States from June 14 to July 14, club sources said.
When Ancelotti was lured back to Madrid for a second spell three years ago, following the departure of club great Zinedine Zidane, the Italian knew that his only mission was to increase Real's trophy haul and he did not disappoint.
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He became the first manager to capture titles in each of Europe's top five leagues — England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France — and has guided Real to two Champions League and LaLiga doubles in three seasons.
Ancelotti's Madrid silverware includes three Champions League titles, two Club World Cups, three European Super Cups, two LaLiga titles, two Spanish Cups, two Spanish Super Cups and one Intercontinental Cup.
