Ancelotti embraces Brazil's record sixth World Cup title pressure ahead of Morocco opener

Carlo Ancelotti has acknowledged the weight of expectation bearing down on him as Brazil prepare to face Morocco in their 2026 World Cup opener on Saturday night, with goalkeeper Alisson Becker suggesting the Italian’s role carries more pressure “than being the president of the country.”

Ancelotti, who took charge of the Seleção in May 2025 following the departure of Dorival Júnior, is the first non-Brazilian to coach the national team at a World Cup. He arrives with a remarkable CV — a record five Champions League titles across spells at AC Milan and Real Madrid, and the distinction of being the only manager to win championships in all five major European leagues — yet the task ahead is uniquely loaded.

Brazil have not lifted the World Cup since 2002, and in the intervening years their tournament record has been defined largely by a single catastrophic night: the 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany on home soil in Belo Horizonte in 2014. They have advanced beyond the quarter-finals just once in that period. The nation that once set the global standard for the game now finds itself chasing a sixth title that has felt elusive for more than two decades.

“We’re here to try to change history, try to put Brazil back to where it never should have left, which is at the top,” striker Vinícius Júnior said on Friday. “We are at the same level as the other major teams.”

Brazil enter Saturday’s match with a remarkable unbeaten run of 20 World Cup openers stretching back to 1934, winning 17 of them. Morocco, ranked seventh in the world — one place below Brazil — arrive as African champions and with recent pedigree at this level: the Atlas Lions became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final at Qatar 2022, where they lost 2-0 to France.

Ancelotti was careful not to underestimate the opposition. “In modern football, there is no — how we say? — small-time team,” he said. “They are definitely up to the task.”

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi, who works under Ancelotti’s former rival managers in club football, offered a respectful but pointed assessment of his opponent. “We all respect Brazil. Some people say it’s not the Brazil of before. Well, it’s still Brazil,” Hakimi said. “They’re passionate. They love football. They have great qualities. They really want to win this World Cup.” He added with a smile: “I respect him very much. I’ve read all his books. Maybe I’ll have an advantage over him. I know all his secrets.”

The two nations have met just once at a World Cup, Brazil winning 3-0 in the 1998 group stage through goals from Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Bebeto. That same tournament gave rise to one of football’s most iconic celebrations — Bebeto’s baby-rocking gesture, shared with Romário and Mazinho — a moment Ancelotti is happy to see revisited. “It’s not banned to dance in the new regulations of FIFA,” he said. “They want to optimize the time of play, but you can still celebrate and dance.”

On the broader question of Brazil’s prospects, Ancelotti kept his language measured. “We have a possibility to compete to win,” he said, switching to English. “We have a good feeling.”