Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti “says yes” to taking Brazil job in July 2023

According to ESPN Brazil, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has sensationally agreed to take over as head coach of the Brazilian national team. Following Tite’s departure after the Qatar 2022 World Cup, in which Brazil were eliminated in the quarter-finals, the Italian has been one of several foreign managers linked with the job, with Jose Mourinho and Zinedine Zidane amongst the others.

Ancelotti’s “verbal agreement” with Brazil

At the end of 2022, Ancelotti was publicly asked whether he would be interested in taking the position and very diplomatically rejected those suggestions, reaffirming his commitment to the Real Madrid cause. However, ESPN Brazil now report that the former Milan manager has had a change of heart and given his word to the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) that he will become their first ever foreign head coach. Nothing has been signed and personal terms have still to be agreed but the indication is that Ancelotti’s contract would run from July 2023 until the end of August 2026, after the end of the World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Ancelotti under contract at Real Madrid until 2024

What does that mean for Real Madrid? Ancelotti’s contract at the Santiago Bernabéu runs until the summer of 2024, as he has stressed to the media on various occasions. It wouldn’t, however, be the first time a manager or player had left a club before the end of their contract and means Los Blancos could be looking for a new boss earlier than they would’ve imagined. According to ESPN Brazil, Madrid’s Brazilian players – Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Eder Militão – have been informed of the developments and would be happy to work with the Italian at international level, if disappointed to lose him as their club boss.

Ancelotti is currently in Morocco preparing for the FIFA Club World Cup final, in which Real Madrid will face Al Hilal. A victory on Saturday would be his second in that particular competition, while he has won five league titles and four Champions Leagues in his managerial career, which has taken in spells at Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, as well as Madrid and Milan.

When do Brazil play next?

As things stand, Brazil don’t have any fixtures scheduled during the international break in March but there is every chance they will arrange a friendly match or two for then. According to the terms of the report, Ancelotti wouldn’t be in charge for those and would likely miss the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which start in June.