Real Madrid tactician Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to take over the Brazilian national team, numerous Spanish media outlets reported on Monday.
The experienced Italian has one year left on his contract with the Spanish giants, but after being knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Arsenal and losing the Copa del Rey to rivals Barcelona, he is set to leave Santiago Bernabeu.
Ancelotti has not veiled the possibility of a departure, stating that his future would be “a topic for the next weeks” following Saturday’s defeat to Barcelona.According to Spanish media, Ancelotti will take charge before the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June, leaving Madrid before the Club World Cup starts in the United States this summer.
Brazil fired Dorival Junior following a 4-1 defeat by Argentina in March and is currently fourth in the South American qualifying standings for the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Ancelotti guided Real Madrid to the Champions League and La Liga double last season, with Brazil’s Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes playing key roles, and is one of the club’s most successful coaches in history.
During his first term with Real Madrid, he led them to La Decima, their tenth Champions League victory.
He won the competition three times with Los Blancos in two stints, was fired in 2015, but returned in 2021 after Zinedine Zidane quit.
Madrid has been defensively vulnerable this season, trailing La Liga leaders Barcelona by four points, with a championship defence their sole remaining hope for a major trophy.
Ancelotti has also coached AC Milan, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain, among other clubs.
