Carlo Ancelotti is poised to leave Real Madrid at the end of the 2024-25 season, having reportedly accepted an offer to manage Brazil’s national team—a role he has long been linked with and one that signals a significant shift in his legendary coaching career. The decision, made in the shadow of a disappointing season in Spain, comes after weeks of behind-the-scenes talks with representatives of the Brazilian Football Confederation. Ancelotti will assume command of the Seleção in time for their upcoming June friendlies against Ecuador and Paraguay, and is expected to lead the team through the 2026 World Cup campaign.
This transition closes one of the most successful managerial chapters in Real Madrid’s modern history. During his two tenures with the club, Ancelotti secured two La Liga titles, two Copa del Rey trophies, and three UEFA Champions League triumphs, most recently in 2025. However, his current campaign has been marred by high-profile setbacks. The Champions League quarterfinal collapse against Arsenal, where Madrid were outclassed 5-1 over two legs, raised early questions about the team’s tactical rigidity. That was compounded by a last-gasp 3-2 loss to bitter rivals Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final—a result seen internally as the breaking point.
Though Real Madrid remain within touching distance of the La Liga crown, trailing Barcelona by just four points with five fixtures remaining, the mood within the club is one of resignation regarding Ancelotti’s departure. Despite his composed public stance—saying recently that “my future is a matter for the coming weeks”—the club has already begun weighing succession plans. Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, one of Ancelotti’s former players and a rising star in management, is the frontrunner to take over. Reports also suggest that Santiago Solari could lead the squad temporarily during the Club World Cup in the United States this June, should a new appointment not be finalized in time.
From Brazil’s perspective, Ancelotti has long been seen as the ideal figure to restore balance and belief in a national team still reeling from recent failures. Their last major outing, a 4-1 defeat to archrivals Argentina in World Cup qualifying, ended with the dismissal of coach Dorival Junior. Brazil currently sit fourth in CONMEBOL’s qualification standings—not in immediate danger, but far from dominant—and the CBF believes Ancelotti’s experience, calm authority, and tactical pedigree can elevate the squad ahead of the expanded 48-team World Cup co-hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico next year.
It’s not the first time Brazil have courted Ancelotti. Their initial approach came ahead of the 2024 Copa America, but talks fell through as the Italian opted to fulfill his contract in Madrid. This time, however, the stars have aligned. The club’s underwhelming season, Brazil’s renewed urgency, and Ancelotti’s own openness to a national team role have all converged to make the move a reality. Financial terms reportedly place him among the highest-paid international managers in history, reflecting the pressure and prestige attached to the Brazil job.
For Ancelotti, the role represents both a new frontier and a fitting final act in one of football’s most illustrious coaching careers. Having conquered Europe’s elite leagues with Milan, Chelsea, PSG, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid, he now turns to the international stage to pursue football’s ultimate prize. And for Brazil, a country steeped in footballing tradition but in search of identity, his arrival could be the beginning of a long-awaited resurgence