Carlo Ancelotti: We must face reality and turn this defeat into motivation to move forward.

Brazil's national team coach Carlo Ancelotti shared his feelings after the team's elimination in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. He stated that while the defeat was regrettable, it also signifies the beginning of a new phase of development for the Brazilian national team. In the Round of 16 match held at New York Stadium, Brazil lost 1-2 to Norway, unfortunately failing to reach the quarterfinals.  

In the post-match press conference, Carlo Ancelotti expressed his regret that the team failed to advance. He said, "Without a doubt, we are all very disappointed. Although the team's performance in this World Cup was not particularly outstanding, the overall performance was still commendable."  

“I think we had a chance to win today’s game and we absolutely deserved a better result. When things like that happen, you have to accept reality. A loss can also mark the beginning of a new phase. I believe that this defeat is not the end, but the beginning of a brand new cycle.”  

Regarding Brazil's early exit from the World Cup, Carlo Ancelotti stated that he and his coaching staff will carefully analyze the lessons learned from this tournament and shift their focus to preparations for the next World Cup cycle.  

Carlo Ancelotti continued, "We will continue to work hard for the Brazilian national team, constantly improve the team, and find new ideas, just like we have been doing this year. I think our overall work is positive, but that's football; sometimes you have to learn to face the disappointment of failure."  

“I’ve been through this many times before. Going forward, we will use this defeat as motivation to move forward, continue our work, and conduct a systematic evaluation of the players to prepare for the future.”  

Image source: Internet/Brazil National Team Official Website