One participant who will carry Brazil’s World Cup hopes on his shoulders is Vinicius Jr.
The ahead has eight targets in 47 appearances for Brazil and has been influential for Actual Madrid once more this marketing campaign with 11 targets in La Liga and 5 extra within the Champions League.
“Vinicius is a soccer star due to his expertise,” Ancelotti mentioned.
“He is probably the most proficient gamers on the earth, so he carries this weight as a result of everybody expects him to win the sport alone and the expectations on him are greater than another participant – perhaps solely Kylian Mbappe proper now.”
The 25-year-old has additionally needed to take care of discrimination since transferring to Spain, the place he has confronted 20 incidents of alleged abuse in eight years.
The latest incident got here in Actual Madrid’s Champions League knockout part play-off tie at Benfica in February, following which the Brazilian winger mentioned “racists are cowards”.
“Having a supervisor like my father is basically good – in being near the celebrities,” the Brazil assistant mentioned.
“We simply targeted on what he [Vinicius] might enhance and he has room for enchancment. Even when he is among the finest, perhaps private opinion, one of the best participant on the earth, however everybody has room for enchancment.
“So we concentrate on that as a result of we’ve got a supervisor who’s a specialist in making stars not really feel alone and he at all times did that with stars like Didier Drogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski.”
Ancelotti, 36, held discussions to take charge of Scottish side Rangers final season earlier than taking over his first managerial function at Brazilian facet Botafago – solely to be sacked 5 months later in December 2025.
The Italian, nonetheless, has continued to work together with his father, who was named Brazil boss in May 2025 after 4 years at Actual Madrid, the place he gained three Champions League titles and two La Liga titles over two spells.
5-time World Cup winners Brazil haven’t lifted the trophy since their final triumph in 2002 however Ancelotti believes the Selecao “will probably be prepared for the World Cup”.
“It will likely be tough as a result of will probably be after a extremely lengthy season,” mentioned Ancelotti.
“There are gamers that may attain the World Cup with greater than 60 video games and this isn’t good. It will likely be not good for the present or the folks which might be watching.
“So we’ll deal with the gamers bodily. It will likely be vital as a result of the climate will probably be so scorching. It will likely be a contest that will probably be determined by small particulars.
“However I can say that we’ve got a extremely aggressive crew that may play soccer that could possibly be environment friendly in a contest like that. So we’re constructive.”
Brazil will face Morocco of their World Cup opener on 13 June in New Jersey earlier than taking up Scotland and Haiti in Group C.
