Overcoming resistance: Ancelotti's bid to revive Brazil
Carlo Ancelotti was entering unknown territory. Despite having previously worked with 43 Brazilian players throughout his coaching career, the Italian manager had been in the South American country just once before - back in the early 2000s on a scouting mission as Juventus boss
Despite having previously worked with 43 Brazilian players throughout his coaching career, the Italian manager had been in the South American country just once before - back in the early 2000s on a scouting mission as Juventus boss.
So when, after much back and forth, he reached an agreement in May 2025 to lead Brazil as their first ever foreign coach at a World Cup, he knew he had to hit the ground running.
At one of his initial meetings in Rio de Janeiro, Ancelotti noticed plenty of the local staff at the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) trying to speak Spanish and even Italian to him.
"I'm the one who has to make the effort to speak Portuguese here."
The 66-year-old was aware that if he were to win over a fanbase that takes a lot of pride in the Selecao and has always considered itself to be self-sufficient in football, he needed to do that.
Such was his focus that he hired a Portuguese teacher and committed to four lessons a week.
"I was surprised by his commitment," Roberto Piantino, who has been working with him on his Portuguese, told BBC Sport.
"I remember once we finished a lesson on a Friday and, as usual, I asked him when he wanted to do the next one. He said: 'Tomorrow.' But that was a Saturday. I said: 'Of course, no problem.' That meant 9am in Vancouver [where Ancelotti lives with his wife].
