Although the Brazilian national team recently celebrated a resounding 4-1 victory in a friendly match against Guinea, Selecao enthusiasts haven't forgotten the fact that they are in need of a true head coach, not an interim figure. And that person is Carlo Ancelotti, the current coach of Real Madrid.
Even the President of Brazil, Lula da Silva, has voiced his concerns about the "lack of a chief coach" for Selecao. During a live television session on Tuesday mornings, the former Brazilian head of state concluded his speech by sharing the nation's common worries: "A Selecao without a head coach is going through a challenging phase."
The Brazilian national team has been without a head coach for the past six months, a situation that has only occurred once in history, from June 1986 to May 1987. If this situation continues, the Samba nation's team could be without a head coach for the next 12 months.
The reason is that the leadership of the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) is determined to wait for Ancelotti, who has committed to joining Selecao but wants to respect his contract with Real Madrid until the end of the 2023/24 season. During the wait for the Italian coach, Brazil appointed Ramon Menezes as the interim coach. This decision has led to criticism of the CBF for being "unprofessional."
Zico, a legendary figure who represented the Brazilian national team 72 times and scored 52 goals, also criticized this "unnecessary delay." He remarked, "The CBF has made a serious mistake. It's a waste of time to do something futile. We should have chosen a head coach at the end of last year."
However, the issue needs to be viewed from a different perspective. What makes Ancelotti so attractive that a major team like Brazil is eagerly awaiting his arrival? In reality, Carletto is highly respected and admired by Ednaldo Rodrigues, the President of the CBF.
This 69-year-old man has done everything he can to persuade Ancelotti to lead the Brazilian national team. Although the truth behind this is unclear, Rodrigues insists that the Italian coach has agreed to take charge of Selecao in June... 2024!
Meanwhile, the CBF does not have a convincing Plan B. Candidates such as Jorge Jesus, Abel Ferreira, and Fernando Diniz have failed to satisfy Rodrigues and his colleagues. Therefore, they have decided to wait until Plan A, Ancelotti, becomes available after his contract with Real Madrid expires.
Surprisingly, there are still supporters of this uncertain plan. "It wouldn't be a disaster if we appoint an interim coach during this waiting period. It's worth the anticipation," exclaimed Barbara Coelho, a journalist from TV Globo.
This decision also means that the Brazilian national team will have to compete in eight matches, including six World Cup 2026 qualifiers in the South American region, with an interim coach. This has left many people frustrated. "To me, this is a very uncertain and unrealistic plan," said former Vasco da Gama player Pedrinho during a heated debate on SportTV.
During the recent friendly match against Guinea, the Brazilian players also expressed contrasting opinions. While Rodrygo emphasized that "Selecao needs a stable head coach to prepare for the 2026 World Cup as soon as possible," Richarlison seemed inclined to wait for Ancelotti. He said, "That's the best thing. Working with him has made me a phenomenon. I've scored in every game, and I'm like Carletto's son," said the forward who previously worked with Ancelotti at Everton.
The current key players of the Brazilian national team, Eder Militao, Rodrygo, and Vinicius, who also play for Real Madrid, strongly support Carletto. During a meeting between CBF President Rodrigues and the group of four captains, Danilo, Marquinhos, Alisson, and Casemiro, the players expressed their clear views. "We have shared our thoughts with the President. Now it's up to him to make the decision," concluded Marquinhos.
Amidst the controversies surrounding the hot seat at the Brazilian national team, interim coach Menezes stated that he is only focused on the upcoming friendly match against Senegal. "My players may have certain emotions, but I will concentrate solely on the match. I have nothing to comment on regarding this matter," said coach Menezes.
