Carlo Ancelotti on Monday ruled injury-plagued Neymar out from Brazil’s lineup for upcoming World Cup qualifiers and vowed to lead the team to a sixth title on his first day as Seleção coach.

Ancelotti is the first non-Brazilian in six decades to coach the record five-time World Cup winners.

“I’m very proud to lead the best team in the world. I have a big job ahead of me and have great hope that Brazil will become champions again,” he said during his official presentation at a hotel in Rio de Janeiro. “The only goal is to win the 2026 World Cup,” he said after receiving a green-and-yellow coach’s jacket from Luiz Felipe Scolari, who took Brazil to its last World Cup win in 2002.

At 65, the Italian star coach, who has five Champions League titles under his belt, is taking the reins of a national team for the first time.

Expectations are high in soccer-mad Brazil that he can revive the squad’s fortunes.

To that end, he announced the return of Manchester United midfielder and former Brazil captain Casemiro for June’s qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay, alongside Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. and Barcelona winger Raphinha. 

Formidable task. Ancelotti is Brazil’s fourth coach in two years, and he faces a formidable task.

“Brazil was sort of decaying and needed that little light at the end of the tunnel. I think he is that light,” said Jose Geraldo Da Silva, a 65-year-old retiree, who was waiting outside the Rio hotel to try catch a glimpse of the new coach.

Brazil has struggled for form in 2026 World Cup qualifying and sacked Dorival Junior in March after a humiliating 4-1 thrashing by regional arch-rivals Argentina.

Ancelotti will cut his teeth on June 5 against Ecuador in Guayaquil and then on the 10th will host Paraguay in Sao Paulo.

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