Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti expects an entertaining contest against India on Saturday, insisting that his side have “full respect” for their opponents and viewing the game as an opportunity rather than a test for his players.The five-time Champions League-winning manager, who took charge of Brazil in May 2025 ahead of the 2026 World Cup, said he was pleased to be in India and keen to see his team showcase its quality.“I hope it will be an entertaining game. We’re happy to be here and to show our quality,” Ancelotti said.Brazil come into the game after playing two matches in Australia, drawing one 1-1 and winning the other 4-2. Their visit to India is another part of Ancelotti’s preparations as he works to bring together a squad containing a mix of established players and new faces.
Ancelotti: India game an opportunity, not a test
With Brazil still finalising their combination, Ancelotti dismissed the idea that Saturday’s match would be an examination for individual players.Asked whether the fixture represented a test for his squad, he said: “For the squad and all the players, it’s not a test or an opportunity to prove themselves. We are still defining the final squad for the match. It’s not a test, but an opportunity.”Ancelotti also declined to reveal his starting XI when asked directly.Asked to name his starting XI, Ancelotti simply replied: “No.”The Italian said Brazil had closely followed India’s recent performance against Panama, in which the hosts played out a 1-1 draw.“We have respect for the quality of the Indian team. They played a good draw against Panama. We have full respect for our opponents,” he said.He also stressed that patience is part of his approach as a manager.“It’s part of my character. I’m usually patient in football, and as a manager, I think patience is an important quality,” he said.
Building a new Brazil
Ancelotti has been using this phase to assess a squad that combines experienced names with several new additions. Vinicius Jr and Marquinhos provide experience, while Arsenal duo Gabriel Magalhaes and Bruno Guimaraes have retained their places.There have been significant changes in goal, with Alisson, Ederson and Weverton, the trio used at the World Cup, left out. Corinthians’ Hugo Souza has taken over as the first-choice goalkeeper, with Coritiba’s Pedro Morisco and Cruzeiro’s Otavio serving as his back-ups.The defensive unit has also been reshaped, with Arthur Dias, Jair, Matheuzinho and Mauro Junior included alongside established figures such as Marquinhos and Magalhaes.Ancelotti said bringing the group together had been a positive experience as Brazil prepare for the next stage of their development.“It’s a pleasure to work with all of the new members. Not only them, but the whole squad. It has been a great moment, bringing them together, creating synergy and feeling the energy in the squad,” he said.The manager also highlighted the differences between working at club level and with a national team, where preparation time is considerably shorter.“Training at clubs and training with a national team is very different. You have to select the right players. At a club, you have more time to do the right things. It is special to train the national team of Brazil,” he said.The matches in Australia and India are also part of that process.“All these games in Australia and India are good preparation and a good opportunity to show what we can do,” Ancelotti said.
Ancelotti wants Brazil to play with joy
While rebuilding the squad, Ancelotti said there were certain characteristics he wanted to remain at the heart of Brazil’s football.“Commitment, quality and happiness to play football. Quality is part of our culture. I would like the players to enjoy themselves, to play with happiness in every game. You want to play with joy,” he said.Brazil have not lifted the World Cup since their 2002 triumph in Japan and South Korea. Their latest campaign ended with a pre-quarterfinal defeat to Norway, and Ancelotti admitted the team had not competed at the level required.“It’s true that we were not able to compete enough in the World Cup. It was a difficult period for us. It is motivation for a new generation of players to be able to compete at the highest level in the coming years,” he said.Asked why Brazil have struggled to reproduce the success of the 2002 generation, Ancelotti pointed to the evolution of the game and the improvement of other teams.“It’s difficult. I can only answer for what happened in 2026. We had problems that we were not able to solve. Football has changed, and other teams have improved a lot,” he said.“In my personal opinion, the talent Brazil was able to show in 2002 was big talent. Football has changed. There is more teamwork now,” he added.