Carlo Ancelotti after Brazil loss “I don’t think this is the end”

Any time Brazil get knocked out of the World Cup it’s a national disaster, even more so when they don’t make it past that round of 16. On Sunday afternoon in New Jersey, disaster struck and the five time champions were beaten by Norway.

Haaland bounces Brazil

Two second half goals from Erling Haaland sealed the fate of the Brazilians, and Carlo Ancelotti stepped to the microphone after the match to face the music. He was disappointed in the result and the performance but took the loss as an opportunity to look towards the future.

“Obviously everyone is deeply disappointed, considering what happened. I don’t think we have had a spectacular World Cup but we had a good one. I think we even deserved to win the game today,” said the Italian in the post match presser.

It was a match in which Brazil will look back and rue the chances they spoiled. Matheus Cunha earned a penalty for Brazil in the first half, but Bruno Guimaraes had his effort saved by Norway keeper Orjan Nyland. Endrick had another chance to put the Brazilians in the lead but missed a break away chance after a brilliant ball from Vinicius Junior.

Brazil to “use this as fuel”

“You have to digest a defeat like this. This has been a new adventure. Now we need to keep earning our places, keep trying to improve,” continued Ancelotti. The former Real Madrid manager was named the Brazil coach just over a year ago, and the hope was he would bring Brazil back to the promise land and lead them to a sixth World Cup.

The Italian’s contract with the “Canarinho” stretches to 2030 which will have him on the touchline for the next World Cup, and Ancelotti was quick to look towards the future. “I don’t think this is the end. I think this is the start of a new cycle,” he insisted. “I think with the squad they have, Brazil could have competed right to the end of this World Cup, even considering what happened in today’s game.”

The round of 16 exit in the earliest Brazil have suffered since 1990, and while the defeat is tough to taste right now, Ancelotti intends to build from this World Cup campaign with the goal of a sixth title “What I can say, what we can do and what we are going to do, is keep working hard for the national team, keep trying to improve and find new ideas,” Ancelotti added.

The Italian concluded by reminding everyone that while he has won almost everything in his career, he has dealt with his fair share of defeat. “I think we have done a good job, but this is football and this is sport. You just have to deal with it, deal with the sadness and the taste of defeat. I am very much used to this and we will handle this. We will use it as fuel going forward.”

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