'Ancelotti is Brazil's antidote against chaos': international press praises coach, but sees Seleção far from convincing

'Ancelotti is Brazil's antidote to chaos': international press praises coach, but sees Seleção as far from convincing
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Brazil's dramatic qualification for the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup resonated around the world with an almost unanimous assessment in the international press: the Seleção is still far from enchanting, but found in Carlo Ancelotti the leader capable of preventing the team from succumbing to pressure.
Ancelotti's serenity in the game against Japan - in which Brazil started losing - was one of the main highlights of The Athletic, a sports publication from The New York Times.
According to the newspaper, the classification was achieved "with patience, tactical adjustments and cold blood, characteristics that, increasingly, seem to define Carlo Ancelotti's work at the head of the Brazilian team".
As an example, the report highlighted the coach's reaction to Martinelli's turning goal. While the stadium erupted in celebration, Ancelotti did the opposite.
"Almost everyone lost control at that moment. Almost. Carlo Ancelotti remained impassive. While players and coaching staff ran to celebrate, the Italian coach took the opposite path. He stopped, spoke quickly with his assistant Paul Clement and called Danilo Santos to prepare the team for the last seconds of the match. The celebration could wait; it was time to guarantee victory", pointed out the newspaper.
"This serenity sums up the way of Ancelotti's work", concluded the vehicle, in the analysis entitled "Ancelotti is Brazil's antidote against chaos".
The Guardian made a similar assessment. For the British newspaper, Brazil repeated a script that had already marked other matches in this World Cup: they spent much of the game without convincing, but found a way to win in the final minutes.
According to the daily, the way the Seleção reacted to pressure is reminiscent of teams led by Ancelotti throughout his career.
"It may seem difficult to explain, but Carlo Ancelotti's method that worked at Real Madrid worked again: keeping the team alive in the game until the opponent makes a mistake or one of their stars resolves the match with a brilliant move", wrote the newspaper.
The New York Times highlighted Ancelotti's fundamental role at the head of the Brazilian team
Reproduction/NYT
At the same time, the newspaper stated that the Brazilian team "leaves doubts", and that his performance exposed important weaknesses, especially in midfield.
"The tendency is to think that Brazil cannot continue like this, that it cannot continue flirting with danger. But Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid did exactly that and continued to conquer Champions League. Perhaps the dream of a sixth championship really is alive", concluded The Guardian.
The Gazzetta dello Sport, in Italy, highlighted that the Seleção won the place in the round of 16 "after a necessary dose of suffering, resorting to patience and the desire for redemption".
According to the newspaper, Brazil overcame the ghost of a 'Houstonaço', "exorcising old nightmares and dark memories thanks to a last-second goal from Martinelli." difficulties, Casemiro and Danilo, keeping them on the field despite a first half that was far from brilliant. The decision paid off: the first scored the equalizing goal with a header, while the second played a fundamental role in the 2-1 victory at the final whistle."
The Guardian highlighted that the change of formation that in Brazil at half-time transformed the match
Reproduction/The Guardian
The Spanish Marca also highlighted the confidence that Ancelotti maintained in his "key pieces". For the newspaper, perhaps this is not the most "showy" Brazil in recent years, but the team demonstrated personality to react in moments of difficulty and advance to the round of 16.
"A feat achieved both through suffering and merit."
The vehicle also highlighted the performance of Vinicius Junior, who despite not having scored in this match, brought the "beautiful game", as the vehicle defined it, onto the field, "starring in one of the game's greatest moments."
"Brazil's dream is still alive. Ancelotti loves it when the plan works", he concluded.
Olé criticized Brazil, stating that the team suffered from 'Vinidependence'
Reproduction/Olé
Despite the praise for the Italian coach, not all the international press was convinced by the team's performance.
In France, L'Équipe highlighted Brazil's suffering against Japan. The newspaper classified the performance as "dull" and "unconvincing" and said that the Seleção "will need to show much, much more if it wants to advance towards its sixth world championship; the performance - especially in the first half - was extremely weak.
Argentine Olé, in turn, criticized Ancelotti's team, saying that it suffered from "vinidependence" - an excessive dependence on Vini Jr. - to create offensive plays.
"The classification came more because of the strength of the shirt than because of the football presented; more because of pride than because of ideas", pointed out the vehicle.
"It was a case of total "Vini-dependence", with the help of a rival who, in the end, did not have the necessary fiber to make history."
The Argentine publication also stated that Brazil "had a hard time" and that it is far from the level expected for a candidate for the world title.
"The real Brazil has not yet appeared in this World Cup of the World", he assessed.
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Source: G1