Ancelotti signs contract extension with Brazil as World Cup beckons

RIO DE JANEIRO, May 14 : Carlo Ancelotti arrived in Brazil with five Champions League titles as a manager, league trophies from Europe's big five competitions and a reputation for making elite dressing rooms breathe a little easier.

One year on, he knows this job is something different: less club grind, more national obsession and perhaps his final gig.          In an interview with Reuters on Tuesday, he said he was close to signing a contract extension until 2030.

"It's all sorted, we just have to sign it. I'd like to stay," he said.

Two days later, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) confirmed the four-year extension.

“Ancelotti’s continued tenure at the helm of the Brazilian national team — the most successful side in the history of world football — reflects not only the CBF’s backing for the work carried out by the manager, but also the trust he has earned from the squad and Brazilian fans since his arrival in late May 2025,” CBF said in a statement.    "I see a squad with great potential for the future. We have top-class young players, a new generation coming through here, who are of a very high standard," Ancelotti told Reuters on Tuesday to explain why he wanted to stay.

DIFFERENT KIND OF TEST

The 66-year-old Italian took charge of Brazil after a glittering club career but preparing for the World Cup has brought a different kind of test - fewer training sessions, more emotion and the agony of choosing 26 names in a country where the iconic yellow jersey represents more than just a team.

Brazil will be missing key players including Rodrygo, Estevao and Eder Militao through injury, adding another layer of psychological strain before Ancelotti announces his squad in Rio de Janeiro on Monday. And there is also