Brazil Rediscovers Its Footballing Soul? But Carlo Ancelotti’s True Test Begins Now

For much of this World Cup cycle, Brazil appeared adrift—an aristocratic footballing nation wandering without direction. Interim coaches rotated like temporary caretakers, defensive faults grew into structural fissures, and constant lineup changes left the team searching for an identity that never arrived. The Seleção, once synonymous with clarity and joy, seemed reduced to improvisation and confusion.

Seven months before the World Cup, that narrative has begun to change. Under Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil has not yet become the finished article. But at last, it looks like a team that remembers what it wants to be.

The 2–0 victory over Senegal in London was more than a friendly win. It was a statement of intent. Against a side unbeaten in 26 matches, Brazil showed order, ambition, and—most importantly—an emerging identity. For a team that had spent months stumbling through tactical uncertainty, the performance offered the rare gift of optimism.

Ancelotti’s Early Blueprint: Structure Before Stardust

Ancelotti has led Brazil through only seven matches, yet the contours of his influence are already visible. His first achievement has been to restore structure to a team long consumed by chaos.

Before his arrival, Brazil conceded goals in six of seven games. Under the Italian, they have allowed almost none—exceptions coming in a half played at altitude in Bolivia and a weakened second half against Japan. The shift is not cosmetic; it is foundational.

Several key adjustments explain this transformation:

Casemiro’s return provided steel and serenity in front of the back line.

Marking systems became coherent, whether pressing high, organizing in a mid-block, or defending deep.

Full-back choices emphasized defensive intelligence, especially the deployment of Éder Militão on the right.

Militão’s reintroduction as a full-back, the most notable tweak against Senegal, strengthened the defensive structure and added aerial presence. More importantly, it symbolized Ancelotti’s pragmatism—an insistence on balance over spectacle.

Liberating the Attack: Talent Aligned With Purpose

The other half of Ancelotti’s early success lies in maximizing the individual talent that Brazil had previously failed to harness.

Vinícius Júnior, for instance, is beginning to resemble his Real Madrid self. Freed from excessive defensive duties and allowed to attack from narrower starting positions, Vini has rediscovered his danger. His partnership with Rodrygo—cultivated on Spanish nights—has finally crossed the ocean.

And then there is Estêvão, the teenager whose rise feels inevitable. With four goals in six appearances, he has turned Brazil’s right flank into his personal stage. Once a prospect, he is fast becoming a pillar.

The match against Senegal showcased a front line liberated by Ancelotti’s clarity. Brazil exchanged only 299 passes, a statistic that reveals the match’s true character: vertical, incisive, and fearless.

A Performance Built on Courage and Coordination

What made the win particularly revealing was Brazil’s pressing approach. Ancelotti’s plan was bold: defend with individual duels across the pitch, trusting that intensity and coordination would suffocate Senegal’s build-up.

This was not merely a tactical choice; it was a cultural reset.

- Vini and Estêvão hunted Senegal’s centre-backs.

- Bruno Guimarães stepped high as an auxiliary playmaker.

- Militão pressed forward with confidence.

- The central defenders squared up to Sadio Mané and Ismaïla Sarr without hesitation.

The effect was immediate. Senegal struggled to find passing options, lost possession in dangerous zones, and faced wave after wave of Brazilian attacks. Cunha hit the post. Vini forced multiple saves. Rodrygo came close. And when Casemiro crafted the sequence leading to Estêvão’s opener, it felt like a symbolic passing of the torch—a veteran clearing a path for Brazil’s future.

But Beneath the Revival Lie Uncomfortable Questions

An editorial must celebrate progress, but it must also interrogate it. And Brazil’s revival, promising as it is, carries its own uncertainties.

Can a two-man midfield withstand elite opposition?

Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães excel in transition-heavy games. But opponents with superior central occupation may expose them.

Should Ancelotti experiment or stabilize?

With few friendlies before the World Cup, every tactical shift carries both potential insight and potential disruption.

Who is the number 9?

Brazil lacks a clear, physical centre-forward for matches that demand one.

Is Alex Sandro the permanent solution at left-back?

Reliable, yes—undisputed, no.

Where does Raphinha fit upon return?

Brazil’s “good problem,” but a real dilemma nonetheless.

These questions do not diminish Brazil’s progress; they define the path ahead.

The Awakening of a Sleeping Giant

Carlo Ancelotti has not yet made Brazil a champion, but he has made them coherent. He has replaced anxiety with structure, confusion with clarity, and improvisation with identity. In just a few months, he has given the Seleção what it lacked most: a heartbeat.

The victory over Senegal was the most complete performance of this cycle. It was also a reminder that Brazil’s resurgence is a beginning, not an endpoint.

Football’s greatest nations are not judged by early promise but by their ability to sustain it. The World Cup is approaching quickly, indifferent to Brazil’s period of rediscovery.

For now, though, the fog has lifted. The road ahead is visible.

Whether this path leads to genuine contention or merely to another cycle of unfulfilled hope will depend on how Ancelotti navigates the dilemmas that await.

Brazil has rediscovered its footballing soul. The question now is whether it can protect it.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar