Ancelotti's Brazil Debut: A Tactical Postmortem from a Data-Driven Analyst

The Hype vs. Reality of Ancelotti’s Brazil
When the FA announced Carlo Ancelotti as Brazil’s new manager, even my non-football friends asked about it. That’s how seismic this appointment was. But after watching his debut against Ecuador, I’ve got news for you: Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will Ancelotti’s Brazil.
Where Brazil Struggled
The most glaring issue? Ball progression. Modern football demands players who can receive, carry, and distribute under pressure - think Rodri or Vitinha at Manchester City/PSG. Brazil’s midfield trio (Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, and João Gomes) offered defensive solidity but lacked the ‘connective tissue’ quality seen in Spain’s Euro 2024 squad.
- Key Stat: Brazil completed just 3 progressive carries into the final third compared to Ecuador’s 7 (despite having 58% possession)
- Eye Test Fail: Vinícius Jr.’s 4⁄9 dribbles succeeded, but his decision-making in crossing situations (1 accurate cross from 8 attempts) hurt build-up play
The Bright Spots
Ancelotti did show glimpses of his trademark pragmatism:
- Structural Discipline: Having Casemiro as a pure destroyer ahead of center-backs reduced Ecuador’s transition threats
- Vertical Passing: 12 attempted line-breaking passes from defenders (5 completed) - an improvement from Tite’s sideways-heavy approach
- Set-Piece Focus: 60% of Brazil’s shots came from dead balls, highlighting targeted training ground work
What Comes Next?
The real test begins now. With David Neres returning from injury and Endrick joining Real Madrid soon, Ancelotti must:
- Develop Midfield Solutions: Experiment with André (Fluminense) or reinvent Lucas Paquetá’s role
- Improve Chance Creation: Currently averaging 1.2 xG per game in qualifiers (6th in CONMEBOL)
- Address Defensive Line Height: Ecuador exploited gaps between Brazil’s press and midfield twice for big chances
As someone who’s analyzed South American football for a decade, I’ll say this: judge Ancelotti after 10 games, not 1. Even Michelangelo needed time before painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
SambaSpreadsheet
Hot comment (11)

Ancelotti vs. Realidade Brasileira
Quando a CBF anunciou Ancelotti, até meu tio que só vê novela ficou animado. Mas depois do jogo contra o Equador, digo: calma, gente! Nem o Michelangelo pintou a Capela Sistina em um dia.
Meio-Campo? Mais Meio-Termo
O time tem Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães e João Gomes, mas parece que faltou cola no meio-campo. Dados mostram só 3 progressões de bola contra 7 do Equador - e olha que tivemos 58% de posse!
Destaque ‘Engraçado’: Vinícius Jr. tentou 8 cruzamentos… acertou 1. Parece eu tentando flertar no Tinder!
O Lado Bom (Sim, Temos Isso)
- Defesa mais sólida que cafezinho de padaria
- Bola parada: 60% dos chutes vieram disso. Pelo menos nos escanteios estamos voando!
E aí, torcedores? Vamos dar tempo ao italiano ou já querem chamar o Tite de volta? 😅 #AncelottiNoBrasil #CadêOSamba

When Stats Meet Samba
Watching Ancelotti’s Brazil debut was like seeing a Ferrari stuck in traffic - all that potential going nowhere fast! The midfield trio of Casemiro, Bruno & João moved the ball like three accountants trying to split a dinner bill.
Bright Spots? More Like Flickers
That ‘structural discipline’ everyone’s raving about? It’s basically parking two buses instead of one. And let’s be real - when 60% of your shots come from set pieces, maybe rename the team ‘Brazil Crossbar Challenge FC’?
Pro tip for Carlo: Maybe try teaching Vinícius that not every cross needs to hit row Z. Data doesn’t lie - but right now, it’s telling a pretty sad story! #AncelottiOutAlready? (Kidding… maybe)

¿El Arte de Ancelotti o un Rompecabezas?
Ancelotti en Brasil parece estar intentando armar un puzzle sin todas las piezas. ¡Y ni hablar del manual de instrucciones! Con un mediocampo que avanza menos que el tráfico en São Paulo (solo 3 carries progresivos, ¡en serio!), y Vinícius cruzando como si estuviera jugando a los dardos con los ojos cerrados (1 de 8 acertados), esto parece más un sketch cómico que un partido de la Canarinha.
Lo Bueno, lo Malo y lo Feo
Lo bueno: Casemiro defendiendo como si su vida dependiera de ello. Lo malo: el resto del mediocampo parece perdido en el Amazonas. Lo feo: Ecuador aprovechando los huecos como si fueran ofertas del Black Friday.
Paciencia, que no es Netflix
Como dijo alguien sabio: “Hasta Miguel Ángel necesitó tiempo para pintar la Capilla Sixtina”. Así que calma, Brasil. Pero ojo, que si en 10 partidos seguimos así, hasta yo me apunto a dirigir… ¡y eso que solo sé de tácticas en el FIFA!
¿Ustedes qué opinan? ¿Ancelotti es el Picasso del fútbol o deberíamos llamar a Bob Esponja para que dirija?

Кухонна катастрофа Анчелотті
Дивлячись на дебют Анчелотті з Бразилією, я зрозумів одну річ: навіть Мікеланджело не міг намалювати Сикстинську капелу за один день!
Головний проблемний інгредієнт: півзахист. Наші хлопці грають, ніби п’ють мате перед матчем - повільно та без ідеї куди бігти.
- Статистика більш жорстка, ніж українська зима: лише 3 просування у фінальну третину!
- Вінісіус - як перець чилі: яскравий, але не завжди потрібно стільки дриблінгу!
Та не все так погано: хоча страва ще сира, але вже пахне потенціалом! Хто згоден? 😄

The Numbers Don’t Lie (But Maybe Ancelotti Should)
After watching Brazil’s debut under Don Carlo, my Python scripts crashed from trying to analyze that midfield ‘creativity’. 3 progressive carries? My Sunday league team does better after pub lunch!
Bright Spot? At least the set-piece focus proves one thing: when in doubt, pray for corners.
Give it 10 games though - even Jesus took 3 days to rebuild his reputation. #DataDrivenDespair

Ancelotti e o Sonho Brasileiro
Parece que até o mestre italiano está tendo dificuldades para fazer este Brasil jogar bonito! Com apenas 3 carregamentos progressivos no último terço, até meu avô de 80 anos se move mais rápido com sua bengala.
Destaques “Brilhantes”:
- Vinícius Jr. cruzando como se estivesse chutando um balde (1 acerto em 8 tentativas!)
- Meio-campo mais lento que fila de banco público
Mas calma, galera! Até Michelangelo precisou de tempo antes de pintar a Capela Sistina… será que o Ancelotti vai precisar de 10 jogos ou 10 anos? 😅
O que vocês acham? Comentem aí se esse time merece um Oscar ou uma vaia!

Ancelotti e o Brasil: Um casamento complicado
Parece que o “Mister” Ancelotti ainda não encontrou o ritmo da seleção canarinho! Os números não mentem: só 3 progressões para o último terço contra o Equador? Até eu, na arquibancada com uma cerveja na mão, faria melhor!
O lado bom? Pelo menos os escanteios estão funcionando - 60% dos chutes vieram de bolas paradas. Quem sabe se a gente transforma o Vini Jr. num especialista em faltas?
Mas calma, pessoal! Michelangelo não pintou a Capela Sistina em um dia. Vamos dar tempo ao tempo… ou pelo menos até a próxima partida! O que vocês acham? Será que o Ancelotti vai conseguir ajustar o meio-campo?

When Data Meets The Beautiful Game
Breaking down Ancelotti’s Brazil debut was like watching Michelangelo paint with his feet - the vision is there, but the execution? Oof. That 3 progressive carries stat hurt more than a Neymar dive!
Bright Spots or Blind Spots? Sure, set-pieces looked sharp (60% of shots!), but when your midfield’s creativity makes a tortoise look quick, maybe we should rename them ‘Casemiro and The Sideways Pass Brothers’.
Vinicius’ crossing: 1⁄8 accurate. My grandma could do better - and she thinks VAR is a new boyband.
Verdict: Panic or Patience?
Let’s not bury Ancelotti yet. As my Brazilian mum would say: ‘Filho, Rome wasn’t built in a day… but it wasn’t built by Italians either!’ mic drop
Thoughts? Or should we just send this Brazil squad to art school instead?

El debut de Ancelotti: ¿Arte o desastre?
¡Vaya estreno el de Don Carlo! Si hasta mis suegros que no saben de fútbol me preguntaron por él. Pero después del partido contra Ecuador, una cosa está clara: ni la Capilla Sixtina se pintó en un día.
Medianoche en el mediocampo
Lo siento, Brasil, pero tu mediocampo parece miércoles de resaca: Casemiro defendiendo como Dios pero avanzando como abuelo con zapatos nuevos. ¡Solo 3 progresiones al área! Hasta Ecuador, que tuvo menos pelota, hizo más (7).
Dato cruel: Vinícius Jr. intentó 8 centros… y acertó 1. ¡Hasta yo lloré viendo eso!
Lo bueno (por decir algo)
Al menos hubo algo de esperanza:
- Set pieces trabajadas (60% de los remates)
- Pases verticales: 12 intentados (5 completados).
Pero vamos, que si esto fuera un examen, estaríamos hablando de “apto raspado”.
¿Vosotros qué opináis? ¿Le damos tiempo al italiano o empezamos a buscar otro “artista”?

Ancelotti e o sonho brasileiro
Olha, se o Ancelotti achou que ia chegar no Brasil e fazer mágica igual em Madrid, ele se enganou feio! A estreia contra o Equador mostrou que até os melhores precisam de tempo - e o nosso meio-campo precisa URGENTE de um passe que chegue no ataque!
Dados não mentem: 3 progressões pro último terço? Até eu no FIFA faço mais! E o Vinícius tentando cruzar… melhor nem comentar, né?
Mas calma, torcedor! O italiano pelo menos trouxe disciplina (finalmente alguém botou o Casemiro pra fazer o que sabe) e já estamos batendo melhor nas bolas paradas. Dêem 10 jogos pro homem - até Michelangelo ralou pra pintar o teto da Capela Sistina!
E aí, galera? Acreditam no tático ou já querem cornetar? #Brasil #FutebolArte

When Samba Meets Spreadsheets
Ancelotti’s Brazil debut had more plot twists than a telenovela! That ‘connective tissue’ midfield? More like disconnected Wi-Fi - 3 progressive carries with 58% possession is like ordering a steak and getting salad (sorry, vegans).
Bright Spots or Mirage?
Yes, set-pieces looked sharp (60% shots from dead balls!), but when your highlight is defenders attempting line-breaking passes, you know the creative department is on vacation. At least Casemiro proved he can still destroy… our expectations.
Pro Tip: Maybe borrow Rodri from Spain? I hear he’s good at this ‘progression’ thing. Wink
#RealTalk: Give Don Carlo time - even Picasso painted stick figures before Guernica! Who’s your midfield solution? Andre or Paquetá 2.0? 🔥
- Here We Go! Real Madrid's Rafael Ofoborh Joins Benfica in Permanent Deal – A Tactical BreakdownFabrizio Romano has dropped the bombshell: Rafael Ofoborh is officially heading to Benfica from Real Madrid. As a football data analyst obsessed with transfer mechanics, I'll dissect why this deal makes sense for both clubs, how it ties into the Álvaro Carreras negotiations, and what Ofoborh brings to Portugal. Expect Opta stats, tactical diagrams, and my signature blend of South American passion with cold London logic.
- FIFA Club World Cup Tactical Preview: Real Madrid's Defensive Woes & Why Al-Hilal Could Surprise | June 18 AnalysisAs a London-based football analyst with 78% prediction accuracy, I break down today's key FIFA Club World Cup clashes: Real Madrid vs Al-Hilal and Pachuca vs Salzburg. With Madrid's injury-ravaged defense facing Saudi Arabia's star-studded Al-Hilal under new manager Simone Inzaghi, plus a tactical anomaly in the Salzburg matchup - this analysis reveals where the smart money should go. Yesterday's picks (Fluminense & River Plate) hit perfectly - let's keep the streak alive.
- Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.'s Rising Star: Why Real Madrid Eyes a Legacy Signing from Saudi ArabiaAt 34, as a senior football data analyst with a passion for tactical deep dives, I dissect the buzz around Cristiano Ronaldo Jr.'s potential move to Real Madrid. Reports suggest the 14-year-old prodigy has impressed at Portugal's U15 level and caught Florentino Pérez's attention—despite currently playing in Saudi Arabia. Here’s why the numbers (and the nostalgia) might just add up for this high-stakes transfer.
- Club World Cup Tactical Preview: Betting on Goals in Real Madrid vs. Al-Hilal and Al Ain's Underdog FightAs a seasoned football analyst with a decade of expertise in Brazilian and global football, I break down the upcoming Club World Cup clashes. Expect data-driven insights on why Real Madrid vs. Al-Hilal could be a goal fest, and how Al Ain might surprise Juventus despite being underdogs. My analysis combines tactical breakdowns with betting angles—because even purists appreciate smart wagers.
- La Liga's Time-Wasters Exposed: Real Madrid Lead, Barcelona Lag in Net Playing Time RankingsAs a data-obsessed football analyst, I dive into La Liga's latest net playing time stats. Real Madrid tops the chart again with 59m40s per match, while Barcelona shockingly ranks 7th. Discover why Getafe keeps 'winning' the wrong kind of trophy (49m36s!) and what these numbers reveal about tactical approaches across Spain's top flight.
- Real Madrid Blocks Mbappé and Tchouaméni from Early France Duty: A Tactical Standoff or Player Welfare?In a move that's stirred debate, Real Madrid has refused to release Kylian Mbappé and Aurélien Tchouaméni for France's early pre-Nations League camp. As a seasoned football analyst, I break down the club vs. country tug-of-war, examining Real's Champions League recovery rationale, UEFA regulations, and the potential ripple effects on Les Bleus' semifinal prep. Are we seeing protective pragmatism or unnecessary brinkmanship?