Legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti mentored his son Davide for years while coaching some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Now, as Ancelotti Sr. prepares to lead Brazil’s national team, Davide has taken the next step in his own career, accepting the head coaching position at a club that competed in the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
A graduate in Sports Science from the University of Milan, Davide began his coaching journey at 23, joining his father’s staff at Paris Saint-Germain in 2012 as a fitness coach. He continued in that role when Carlo took over at Real Madrid in 2013.
In 2016, when Carlo was appointed Bayern Munich manager, Davide was promoted to assistant coach—a role he retained through subsequent stints at Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid. After nearly 15 years working alongside his father, he’s now ready to strike out on his own.
Davide Ancelotti has been named the new head coach of Brazilian side Botafogo, signing a deal through the end of 2026. He replaces Renato Paiva, who was dismissed shortly after the club’s elimination in the Round of 16 of the Club World Cup by Palmeiras.
In a recent interview with Marca, the 35-year-old expressed his longtime ambition to lead a team on his own: “My ambition is to coach on my own one day. That’s absolutely clear to me because it’s my career goal. At the end of the season, I had the opportunity, through my father, to join him with the Brazilian national team, and I asked for a bit of time to think about it and speak with some clubs.”
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Davide reportedly considered offers from Italian side Como and Scottish champions Celtic before ultimately choosing Botafogo. As he awaits his arrival in Rio de Janeiro, assistant coach Claudio Cacapa will serve as interim manager for Sunday’s Brasileirao clash against Vasco da Gama.
Davide faces a challenging debut
After gaining experience working with world-class players, Davide now faces a tough test in his first solo role. Expectations are high at Botafogo, who recently won the Copa Libertadores and are preparing to defend their title in the current edition, starting with a Round of 16 matchup against LDU Quito.
Since becoming a sports corporation in 2021 under the ownership of John Textor, Botafogo has had a high turnover rate—averaging one head coach every six months. Only Luis Castro lasted more than a year. That instability adds an extra layer of difficulty for Davide as he embarks on this next chapter.
