Vinícius Júnior Drives Brazil Forward as Ancelotti Fine-Tunes the Team
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
Carlo Ancelotti took some time to become popular in Brazil. He brought a struggling squad to the World Cup, and Brazil's lackluster draw with Morocco didn't help his case. However, with two consecutive 3-0 victories—against Haiti and Scotland—the Canarinha has entered the knockout stage with renewed confidence and title aspirations. It seems Ancelotti is finally finding his best version with the five-time world champions. 'He is the best coach of all time,' said Brazilian fan Luca Scapinelli before Wednesday's victory over Scotland. 'Five Champions Leagues, he has won all the major European leagues. He can contribute a lot. We haven't had such a great coach in a long time.' This successful club record—particularly with Real Madrid and Milan—was why Brazil, which hasn't won a World Cup since 2002, hired the Italian coach just over a year ago. The common denominator of Brazil's success in the tournament so far has been Vinícius Júnior. The Real Madrid star, who had struggled to deliver the same level for his country as he often does for his club, has scored in every match of this World Cup, including two goals against Scotland, bringing his total to four. Ancelotti, 67, coached Vinícius in Madrid from 2021 to 2025, helping him become a global figure. The duo won two Champions Leagues, two La Liga titles, and one Copa del Rey during that period. 'It’s satisfying because I had no doubt about how he could reach this World Cup,' Ancelotti said about Vinícius. 'For him, it’s an honor to play for the national team. He is one of the best in the world, obviously.' After his goal against Haiti, Vinícius noted that Ancelotti has helped him score more by using him in a position different from what he is used to. 'I need to listen to him more. I’m sure when we get to the locker room, he will say he knows a lot about football,' Vinícius joked. In his initial presentation as coach of the Verdeamarela, Ancelotti stated that he has always felt 'a special connection' with the country and fully understands that there is 'a lot of expectation for Brazil to become champions again.' That connection seems to be manifesting at the right moment. Before the match against Scotland, when Ancelotti's name was announced, the crowd, mostly dressed in yellow, gave him a big ovation. 'I like that he has really immersed himself in Brazilian culture,' said Caio Monteiro, a fan from Belo Horizonte. 'He wanted to learn the anthem, he wanted to learn Portuguese, and he did it in just a few months.' Some fans were not thrilled about hiring a foreign coach, but that discontent seems to have faded. 'If you look at our league in Brazil, all the best teams have foreign coaches,' recalled Humberto Silva, from São Paulo. 'That’s how it has to be now.'
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
