Carlo Ancelotti (Reggiolo, 1959) ended his spell as Real Madrid coach last summer. He did so as the most successful coach in the club’s history and leaving an indelible legacy. However, ‘Carletto’ was waiting for one of the few challenges he had yet to face in his legendary career: to manage a national team. Brazil insisted and convinced him to seek the long-awaited sixth World Cup.
On the occasion of Radio MARCA’s 25th anniversary, the sports radio station travelled to the CBF headquarters to recognise the career of the Italian coach. During the interview, Ancelotti spoke about his first few months in Brazil, his relationship with Real Madrid, his contact with the club’s players, the evolution of football in recent decades and his views on players such as Vinicius and Valverde.
Thank you for opening the doors of your new home to us. There is more colour than in Valdebebas, the Brazilian spirit is very different from that of Madrid.
The office in Valdebebas was much bigger, but different. Here there are many colors, a lot of joy
When you leave Madrid after winning the Champions League, you can only come to Brazil.
Yes, I think so. I didn’t have the idea of going to another club after Madrid. The opportunity with the Brazilian national team came up two years ago and then I renewed with Madrid, but last year we thought it was time to leave and now I’m happy.
I see you look good, I see you more handsome.
Yes.
I don’t know if less worried…
A. Now less stress, for sure.
Less stress?
Less stress because there are not many games, it is more a job of observation. You don’t have to prepare training every day, it’s a different job, with much more pause, but it’s an interesting job and you have to look at the players… Brazil has at least 70 who can be in the national team and make an assessment of all is not so simple
But in two months people will be asking for the sixth season…
They have been asking for it for a long time. This is not only a goal, it is also a motivation.
Winning the World Cup with Brazil is not a goal, it is a motivation
Is that pressure noticeable on the street and in everyday life?
R. People welcome me very well here, I am very respected and they love me very much. The atmosphere in Brazil is a football environment, very passionate, people are very close to football. They are happy, cheerful, good people.
Did you have any doubts before signing for Brazil?
I didn’t hesitate. The truth is that the old Brazilian school has reacted a little to foreign coaches, but as I said the reception has been fantastic from everyone. I have a very good relationship with the coaches who work here, for example at Palmeiras, Flamengo or Bahia. I talk to them a lot because I think they can help me to look for players because many are in Europe, but others are playing here
The headquarters of the CBF is like Valdebebas, here you are welcomed by legends and legends. We were welcomed by Claudio Branco.
Something very similar, history is very important. At Madrid, history is every day at Valdebebas. You see Di Stefano, Puskas, Sergio Ramos, Casillas or Ronaldo. Here it is the same, Pele is inside this house every day, just like Zico, Romario and all the great legends of Brazilian football
Question: You have coached some of the best in the world, but speaking of Brazilians only, we would have a World Cup winning team.
Yes. In goal I could put Dida. Cafu on the right, Militao or Thiago Silva as central defenders and Marcelo on the left. In the middle Casemiro, Kaka… I’m sure I’ll forget some. On the right Rodrygo or wherever he wants, on the left Vinicius and up front I have many doubts: Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho… there are many
Right now you are on the verge of an almost definitive list for the World Cup.
It’s not easy to make the list because there are many options, especially in attack because we have many options. A little less in midfield or on the flanks, but there is the possibility to choose the players who will play in the upcoming friendlies and the World Cup.
We have also come to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Radio MARCA. Do you remember what you were doing in 2001?
R. In 2001 I had been kicked out of Juventus and was on holiday waiting for Milan.
Was that stage surely one of the ones that taught you the most?
It is quite common here for coaches to be sacked. Sometimes you get sacked even when you are doing a good job. It affected me a lot personally because when you get sacked for the first time it affects you more. The last time was in Napoli in 2020 and you take it as part of the job. When you lose confidence with the club, you have to leave.Has football changed much in these 25 years?It has changed a lot. It’s amazing how much it has changed.For better or worse?
I don’t know if it’s for better or for worse. On an environmental level, it has surely improved. Better stadiums, better pitches, better refereeing thanks to technology. The intensity has improved, but more intensity does not always mean more spectacle. I think talent has more difficulty today to show itself than 20 years ago.Do you miss anything about Madrid and Real Madrid?
I live quietly because each moment has its stage. I have fantastic memories of the very long period at Madrid and an extraordinary affection for the club and the people who work there. Now I’m in another project and I live it with the same intensity. When Madrid plays a match I’m watching, not only to see the Brazilians, also to see Madrid and help them win
Do you use the phone to talk to people in Madrid?Yes, sometimes. After the game against Manchester City I congratulated the club and the president. I also talk to the players. The other day I spoke to Rodrygo to see how he was doing. I have contact, yes.
He congratulated Florentino on the game against City, he also spoke to the players
Did you understand why that perfect Madrid team changed so much afterwards?
Football changes with a few things and with that the chemistry changes. It’s not just on an environmental level, it’s not just changing Kroos for Mbappe. That same year Nacho leaves, Carvajal gets injured and Modric plays less. The old generation that had created a fantastic atmosphere in the dressing room is no longer there and a new generation of footballers has to come in and bring character, personality and example. That doesn’t happen with a click, it takes time. Mbappe’s arrival coincided with two important departures such as Kroos and Nacho, a different environment. Mbappe did fantastically well, scoring 50 goals or so and the team struggled to win titles because football is about small details and when you change something, it doesn’t always work out.Now you have to do the opposite with Brazil, who have tried with different coaches and now need to make that click.
Yes, totally. The difficulty has to be a motivation to do better. The feeling I have is that there is an environment prepared to win. There is a lot of pressure, it is true, but there is also an incredible affection for the national team. Here when the national team plays, everything stops, it is not the same atmosphere as in Europe. I think that in Europe, the national teams have lost strength with the calendar that there is with competitions like the Champions League. In Brazil, the most important team is the national team and for the players it is very special to wear the jersey. That’s good, but there’s also too much pressure on the footballer. A mistake in a friendly here punishes you and I want to treat them not to put so much pressure on themselves.
You have always been very fond of sayings.
R. Yes, I like them.There is a saying that haste is a bad advisor.R. There is another one I like very much: “Hard work and sacrifice beat talent only when talent has no hard work and sacrifice”.Do you find the Brazilians at Madrid very different when they are in the national team? Are Vinicius, Rodrygo and Militao the same?
What changes is the atmosphere in the dressing room. At a club you have players from many nationalities, here you have 25 Brazilians with the same language and culture. Communication is more direct and continuous. The difficulty for a club is to incorporate all this and the tendency is to separate the group, but it is totally normal
Can Vinicius dominate world football again?
Vinicius has never failed in important matches. I don’t remember a semi-final or a quarter-final where Vini has failed. It may be that Vinicius got angry in Valencia and went out of the game, but in important matches he never did. I’m sure he’s going to have a great World Cup if he’s in the squad
Has this stage helped you to understand him better?He is Brazilian, he has the character of a Brazilian. The Brazilian is a person with joy, very humble, I have not yet found an arrogant person neither in the CBF nor in any of the Brazilian people I know. Vinicius is humble, joyful and with extraordinary talent.Looking ahead to the match in Manchester… will Real Madrid go through?
Yes, it’s going to happen. You have to defend well and have balance
Balance is your favorite word.
A. It’s ideal. They’re going to need that and for Valverde to play.Were you surprised by Valverde’s game?Did it surprise you?
No, it didn’t surprise me, that’s why I saved my coaching license… but the three goals did, it was incredible. I sent him a message
What did he say to you?A.
I said, “It’s a shame you don’t have a Brazilian passport.”