Carlo Ancelotti and Vinicius Junior with Brazil Team

Carlo Ancelotti begins a new chapter as coach of the Brazil national team in the 2026 World Cup CONMEBOL Qualifier match against Ecuador at Estadio Monumental.

Before the match, the Italian coach shared his thoughts on Vinicius Junior — a player he previously coached at Real Madrid.

“I don’t know if he’s given his best performance here yet, but Vinicius has time to show what he did at Real Madrid,” said Ancelotti.

“For us, he’s a fundamental player. We need to work to ensure he gives his best performance here.”

Ancelotti also highlighted the uniqueness of Brazilian players and his plan for the team:

“Brazilian players have a different style of football than other players. My Brazil team will play like Real Madrid.”