Carlo Ancelotti stressed the importance of Vinicius Junior producing his Real Madrid form for Brazil ahead of the Italian’s first game in charge of the Selecao.
Ancelotti was appointed as the replacement for Dorival Junior last month following his departure as Madrid boss and has a testing opening game as Brazil visit Ecuador in World Cup qualifying on Thursday.
He takes over the five-time world champions with Brazil at a low ebb in the wake of a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Argentina, which brought an end to Dorival’s tenure.
Brazil are 10 points behind Argentina, who have already booked their place at the 2026 finals, in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying.
Six points ahead of Venezuela, who occupy the interconfederation play-off spot, with four games to go, Brazil are still highly likely to qualify.
But, as Ancelotti seeks to return Brazil to the summit of world football, he identified the struggles of Vinicius at international level as something that must be addressed.
Vinicius has just six goals in 39 caps for his country. His goal in the win over Colombia in March marked his first since a double against Paraguay in the 2024 Copa America. He has five assists in his Brazil career.
That is in stark contrast to his form for Madrid. Even in a disappointing trophyless season for Los Blancos, Vinicius still managed 20 goals and 14 assists in all competitions. Having consistently gotten the best out of Vinicius for Madrid, Ancelotti sees doing the same for Brazil as a priority.
“I don’t know if he’s been at his best here, but he has time to do what he does at Real Madrid,” Ancelotti told a press conference.
“For us, he’s a fundamental player. We have to work to ensure he performs at his best here.”
Ancelotti is under no illusion as what Brazil require as a collective to improve their performances.
“Yeah I watched it,” Ancelotti said when asked if he watched Brazil’s defeat to world champions Argentina at the Monumental.
“No balance. Simple as that. Talent, but no balance.
“Football is not so complicated, in my opinion. The best players have to play, but you have to be able to find a good balance between them. The key word in football is ‘talent,’ of course. Without talent you cannot win. But balance is also very important, because the team has to be balanced between defense and attack.
“Brazilian players, in general, have more talent than the others. And then you have to find a connection between the talented players and the others. Every team doesn’t have 11 talented players — the others support the talent, with sacrifice, commitment, attitude.
“I don’t want my teams to have a clear identity. Take the game forward, sit back, press high, defend low — there are lots of things you need to do to be successful.
“After 40 years, I still don’t know the best strategy for winning games, but I do know that it depends on the characteristics of the players you have, and I want to do that with Brazil’s players, getting them together with one objective: to win the World Cup.”
Ancelotti, whose contract expires after the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, will likely pay with his job if he can’t deliver a sixth world title.
But he does not feel burdened by the expectation with which he now must deal.
“There is not more pressure than Real Madrid. The pressure is the same,” Ancelotti added.
“But I don’t have to think about the pressure, I have to think that I have a fantastic opportunity. I want to live this period at the best of my possibilities.”
