MADRID: Italian Carlo Ancelotti, one of the most decorated managers in world football, will become Brazil’s first foreign coach since 1965 after leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season, the Brazilian football federation (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 after losing the Clasico at Barcelona on Sunday to fall seven points behind their league-leading arch-rivals.

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 after confirming his exit from Bayer Leverkusen last week.

“The greatest national team in the history of football will now be led by the most successful coach in the world,” said the CBF in a statement. “Ancelotti begins his mission next week. He will lead Brazil until the 2026 World Cup and will coach them in their next two qualifying matches against Ecuador and Paraguay next month.

“He will meet with CBF officials to finalise 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.”

Ancelotti will be the fourth non-Brazilian to coach Brazil. The last was Argentine Filpo Nunez who was in charge for one game 60 years ago.

Brazilian football 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.

Brazil sacked Dorival Junior after a 4-1 thrashing by Argentina in March and are fourth in the South American qualifying table for the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“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.”

Record five-time World Cup winners Brazil last won the trophy in 2002, enduring more than two decades of disappointment since then.

‘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 quarter-finals.

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 Dorival 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, sources added.

At Real, Ancelotti has coached Brazil stars Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes and Eder Militao, as well as teenage talent Endrick.

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 recognise his great success with the club.

His replacement Alonso, 43, who said on Friday that he was leaving 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.

Real’s first match is against Saudi side Al Hilal in Miami on June 18.

GLITTERING CAREER

Ancelotti leaves Real as one of the club’s most successful managers, winning 15 trophies across two spells with Los Blancos, including a La Liga and Champions League double last season.

In his first spell at Real Madrid he led them to La Decima in 2014 — their 10th Champions League triumph.

He has won the competition three times with Los Blancos. After being sacked in 2015 he was lured back 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.

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 La Liga doubles in three seasons.

Ancelotti has also led Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich among other teams, including AC Milan with whom he won the Champions League twice as a coach in 2003 and 2007.

The Italian is the coach who has won the European Cup most often, triumphing on five occasions — two more than Zidane, Pep Guardiola and Bob Paisley.

Published in Dawn, May 13th, 2025