Carlo Ancelotti will stick close to some of his Real Madrid players as the new manager of the Brazilian national team. That is certainly the case when it comes to star forward Vinicius Jr.
Ancelotti coached Vinicius Jr. at Real Madrid from 2021 to 2025, helping him develop into one of the best players in the world. The forward helped lead the club to two UEFA Champions League titles in 2022 and 2024, winning the Best FIFA Men’s Player award in 2024.
Despite his dominance at the club level, Vinicius Jr. hasn’t been able to carry that over to the national team. He only scored six goals in 39 appearances since his debut in 2019, a far cry from his high-level performances for the Spanish powerhouse.
Ancelotti selected the star forward and 22 others to represent Brazil for the upcoming matches in June. They will face Ecuador and Paraguay during the international break as part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
The new manager gave his thoughts on Vinicius Jr.’s struggles to be consistent with his star form for the national team. Knowing what his star player is truly capable of after coaching him for four years, Ancelotti delivered a confident message about him.
“Vini hasn’t always shown his best level for Brazil? Well, he will now,” Ancelotti said during his introductory press conference as the national team’s manager.
“Vini has a lot of love and affection for Brazil, which can maybe put him under a lot of pressure. But he’s fantastic, he works hard, he is a fighter.”
What’s Next for Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil
GettyCarlo Ancelotti and Vinicius Jr. during the UEFA Champions League final match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid at Stade de France on May 28, 2022 in Paris, France.
It is clear that Carlo Ancelotti has faith in Vinicius Jr. to finally deliver the performances that Brazil fans have long waited for. Knowing how to put his star player in the best position to succeed throughout their time together at Real Madrid, what the manager has planned will be worth keeping an eye on.
Brazil sits at fourth place in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying standings with 21 points, trailing Argentina, Ecuador and Uruguay. Their last match came in a 4-1 defeat on the road to Argentina in March, which resulted in them firing Dorival Jr. and replacing him with Ancelotti.
To automatically qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brazil must finish inside the top six of the standings. It may seem they are in comfortable position to do so, but they are only a single point above sixth-place Colombia and five points above seventh-place Venezuela. They cannot take their last six qualifying matches for granted.
The national team has suffered plenty of heartbreak in the World Cup since winning their fifth title in 2002. Whether it was the typical quarterfinal exit, the 7-1 humiliation at home against Germany or falling in a penalty shootout to Croatia, the country has been through a lot. They will hope that Ancelotti returns them to glory.
Brazil will first play on the road against Ecuador on June 5 at 7 p.m. ET before hosting Paraguay on June 10 at 8:45 p.m. ET.
Carlo Ancelotti Makes Thoughts on Vinicius Jr’s Struggles With Brazil Very Clear