Former Player Warns Carlo Ancelotti About Brazil Job: “It’s Going to Get Worse”

Legendary former Brazil goalkeeper and coach Emerson Leão launched a scathing attack on Carlo Ancelotti, claiming that managing the Seleção “will be much more difficult” than coaching Real Madrid. The former shot-stopper expressed disappointment at the direction of the national team, saying it’s “getting worse and worse,” and lamented the growing reliance on foreign coaches amid the lack of high-level Brazilian managers.

Leão didn’t hold back: he recalled Brazil’s most recent friendly, where they blew a two-goal lead to lose 3–2 against Japan — a result he sees as a symptom of the team’s chaos. “One match went well, the other was a disappointment. And he was there on the bench, struggling to communicate,” he told CNN.

According to Leão, Ancelotti faces a completely different challenge from anything he’s known in club football. “At Real Madrid, you own your team; in the national team, you have an entire nation either for you or against you. It’s much more difficult,” he explained.

The Brazilian warned that the environment and pressure surrounding the Seleção can be overwhelming — even for a manager as experienced as Ancelotti. “His job will be very arduous, very difficult. He’s going to face a lot of difficulties, not a few. And everyone working with him — players, assistants, staff — needs to cooperate, because this process is going to get worse and worse,” he insisted.

Beyond his criticism of Ancelotti, Leão turned his attention to Brazil’s domestic coaching scene. “Now all the big clubs are being run by foreigners. Where are the Brazilian coaches?” he asked with frustration. “I’m very disappointed and sad with this generation of coaches who haven’t been able to show enough quality to be part of the national team.”

Brazil hasn’t lifted a World Cup since 2002 — the longest drought in its history. Since then, the Seleção has suffered four quarter-final eliminations and the unforgettable 7–1 semifinal defeat to Germany in 2014. It’s a backdrop that only increases the pressure on Ancelotti, who must now prove he can restore the South American giant’s former glory.

Leão’s words only add to the growing scrutiny surrounding Carlo Ancelotti, who has endured an uneven start with Brazil following an up-and-down World Cup qualifying campaign. With the nation watching closely and legends weighing in, the Italian manager must rebuild the Seleção’s identity and bring back its greatness — a task that, as Leão warned, could be the toughest of his entire career.

Click here to read article