Ancelotti says Brazil must turn World Cup pressure into motivation to end 24-year wait

Less than a month before the World Cup starts, the Italian said Brazil must learn to turn pressure into fuel as the record five-time champions try to end a 24-year wait to lift the trophy again.

«What I have noticed this year, to be honest, is that there is a lot of pressure; there is a lot of pressure on the players,» Ancelotti told Reuters in an interview at the Brazilian Football Federation’s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday.

«What I think is that the players also put a lot of pressure on themselves, sometimes too much. So the pressure and worries outweigh the joy, the energy that the Brazilians have, the creativity that the Brazilians have.»

Brazil’s recent World Cup exits have often been singled out for emotional vulnerability as much as tactical shortcomings, and Ancelotti said he had seen signs of that burden even in friendlies.

«I’ve seen it in a number of friendly matches… a mistake by a teammate in a friendly match seems like a tragedy,» he said.

«We have to build a routine to avoid all this, because pressure is obviously a very important factor. Dealing well with pressure means more motivation and more camaraderie, because you can share the pressure. Then it weighs less heavily on you.»

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For Ancelotti, the answer is not to strip Brazil of its identity, but to give it a frame sturdy enough to survive the intensity of modern football. He does not accept the old question of whether Brazil should entertain or simply win as a choice.

“What Brazilian players and Brazilian football should not lose is their greatest quality: creativity, joy and energy,” he said.

CARNIVAL ENERGY

Ancelotti said he has found the clearest version of what he wants from Brazil not on the pitch, but at Carnival.

“It was my first carnival here this year,” he said. “I noticed a lot of fun, a lot of energy because people danced until the sun rose, but also a lot of effort from everyone at a popular festival where everyone feels part of it.

«If you go and watch the parade here in Rio, everything is perfectly organized, the timing, the music, everything is perfect. These are characteristics of the Brazilian people that I saw at the carnival and that I want to bring to the national team: the joy, the energy, the organization, the commitment, the attitude.»

The Italian rejected the idea that Brazil has lost its aura and said the football mystique, built up over generations, could not disappear because of recent disappointments.

“Brazil has something special, and it always will,” he said. «Brazil has and always has had the ability to produce great talent. Even now, this country produces more talent than other countries.»

However, Ancelotti said Brazil had adapted more slowly than some countries to a game increasingly shaped by intensity, structure and collective work.

“Brazil has the same qualities as always, but you have to back that creativity with organization, commitment and attitude,” he said.

«Talent is important, but to beat talent you need organization. And yes, we are going to make it happen, because you can learn organization, but not talent.»

Ancelotti also gave his own definition of “jogo bonito”.

“It can be a bit of skill, it can also be teamwork, a collective effort, a spectacular team attitude when in possession and everyone working hard,” he said.

Brazil may not come out as favorites, but Ancelotti said he felt comfortable with that.

“I like it,” he said of Brazil being seen as a dark horse. “I think it is a World Cup where there is no clear favorite because every team has its problems.

«There is no perfect team. I believe the most resilient team will win the World Cup.»

And if Brazil wants to regain the status it may have given up, Ancelotti has the answer: “There is only one way to regain the hierarchy in football, and that is to win the World Cup.”

Published on May 13, 2026