Carlo Ancelotti has promised a squad overhaul for the Brazil national team with a clear goal of building a new generation for the 2030 World Cup. The Italian manager detailed the plan in an interview with Real Madrid TV after visiting the Spanish club's training ground last Thursday.
The team, currently top of their World Cup qualifying group with 7 points from 3 games, will have its first post-World Cup squad announced this coming Wednesday. Ancelotti and his technical staff are deep in a player assessment process. They have watched matches in Europe, like Lille vs PSG in France, and plan visits to Premier League games in England. Staff members are also monitoring the Brazilian domestic league and keeping tabs on the under-17 and under-20 national teams, identifying talent for the next Olympic cycle.
What will Brazil's new generation look like?
The main focus is on young players. "We are evaluating above all the young Brazilians who are all over the world and we are going to start programming a new generation, which can reach 2030 with ambition and quality," Ancelotti said. The coach noted that the generation of players around 20 years old is currently very good.
The September and October friendlies will be used as a testing ground to get to know these promising names better. Brazil faces Australia twice this month, on the 25th at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville and on the 29th at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. In October, on the 3rd, there will be a historic match against India at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata, the first-ever senior men's international between the two nations.
What is the team's current context?
The Brazil national team begins this new cycle coming off mixed recent results. In their last match, on July 5th, the team suffered a 2-1 defeat to Norway. However, their recent form over the last five fixtures is positive, with four wins and just that single loss. Their overall season record shows 7 goals scored and only 1 conceded, for a goal difference of +6.
The next challenge, against Australia on September 25th, marks the practical start of this renewal project. Fans can follow the campaign's progress and check future opponents on our fixtures page.
Who is being watched by the technical staff?
The scouting network is wide and covers different fronts. Beyond the European matches Ancelotti himself attends, his team of assistants covers domestic leagues. The goal is to have a complete map of all available options, both abroad and at home.
The evaluation includes athletes who could be important not only for the 2030 World Cup but also for the upcoming Olympic Games. This integration between youth categories and the senior team is a central part of the plan. To see who is in contention for a spot, check the current list on our squad page.
The work of Carlo Ancelotti, as originally reported by Globo Esporte, is to build a competitive team for four years from now. The first squad list of the new cycle will be released next Wednesday.
