Brazilian fans demand Ancelotti sacking and call for Guardiola after shock Norway exit

Brazil’s World Cup campaign ended in a 2-1 round-of-16 defeat to Norway, with Erling Haaland scoring both goals in the second half to eliminate the five-time champions despite Neymar’s late penalty. The result has ignited a fierce backlash from Brazilian supporters, many of whom are demanding the dismissal of head coach Carlo Ancelotti and his replacement by Pep Guardiola.

Haaland’s brace proved decisive after Bruno Guimaraes had a penalty saved in the first half, leaving Brazil’s quest for a sixth World Cup title — their first since 2002 — to wait at least another four years.

Ancelotti struck a composed tone after the final whistle. “We must continue to work and improve, and find new ideas,” he said. “I believe that this loss is not the end, but the beginning of a new cycle.” His measured words did little to calm supporters on social media.

“Bruno is at fault, Endrick is at fault. But the main one responsible for the elimination is the cowardly and arrogant Carlo Ancelotti,” one fan wrote. “He clearly instructed the team to let Norway have the ball. Coward. It went wrong, obviously, but he didn’t want to fix it. Arrogant.”

Another was equally blunt: “Carlo Ancelotti is an absolute coward. An utter disgrace. He should be fired tonight.” A third added: “I like Carlo Ancelotti — who doesn’t — but I am completely unmoved by this result, and he deserves the sack. To choose Neymar over Joao Pedro is an injustice punishable by this sort of disgrace.”

Amid the anger, a clear alternative name emerged. “This selection is begging for Pep Guardiola,” wrote one supporter. “The only manager who can save Brazil, Pep Guardiola,” added another. A third addressed the Brazilian Football Confederation directly: “Hey @CBF_Futebol, take advantage of this Pep Guardiola guy slipping up in the market and pay the buyout clause.”

Guardiola is currently without a club after leaving Manchester City this summer, with Enzo Maresca appointed as his successor at the Etihad. The Catalan has been linked with the Brazil role before — former Brazil and Barcelona full-back Dani Alves revealed in 2015 that Guardiola had expressed interest ahead of the 2014 World Cup. “Pep said he wanted to make Brazil a World Cup champion and had an entire strategy to make us a world champion,” Alves told ESPN Brasil.