Despite a defeat to Bolivia, Ancelotti remains optimistic about Brazil’s World Cup chances. He views the qualifying matches as opportunities to assess the squad. The team faces challenges but aims to refine their game plan through upcoming friendlies, seeking to arrive at the World Cup well-prepared.
Despite a surprising 1-0 defeat to Bolivia in their final World Cup qualifying match, Brazil's coach, Carlo Ancelotti, maintains a positive outlook on the team's prospects for the upcoming World Cup. The loss, marked by Miguel Terceros' first-half penalty, saw Bolivia secure a seventh-place finish and a spot in the intercontinental play-offs. However, with Brazil already qualified for the tournament to be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the match served as an opportunity to experiment with the squad.
Brazil's performance was lackluster, managing an expected goals (xG) total of just 0.36 from 10 shots, with only three hitting the target. In contrast, Bolivia generated an xG of 1.78 from 23 attempts, highlighting their dominance in the match. This defeat marked Ancelotti's first loss since taking over as coach of the Selecao in May, succeeding Dorival Junior. Ancelotti oversaw Brazil's final four qualifying matches, securing wins against Paraguay and Chile, and a draw against Ecuador.
Brazil's qualifying campaign was their worst in history in South American qualifiers, achieving a 52% success rate. Ironically, their second-worst campaign (56% in 2002) culminated in their last World Cup title. Speaking after the defeat, Ancelotti acknowledged the difficulty of the game, stating, "Today was a difficult game, both technically and physically. We’re on the right track for the World Cup. A special game in every sense. A unique game. We’ll prepare well for the upcoming matches and arrive at the World Cup in good shape."
With Brazil's World Cup spot secured, Ancelotti made nine changes to the starting lineup for the Bolivia match, retaining only Alisson and Bruno Guimaraes from the previous 3-0 victory against Chile. The new lineup included Premier League players Andrey Santos, Lucas Paqueta, and Richarlison, along with a revamped defense featuring Caio Henrique, Alexsandro Ribeiro, Fabricio Bruno, and Vitinho.
Ancelotti explained his decisions, saying, "All the players in this group will have new opportunities because they worked very well all week. I wanted to use this match to get to know some of the players, and that’s what happened."
However, the defeat also drew criticism. Samir Xaud, the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, expressed his disappointment, saying, "A real mess today. It’s not what we expect for world football or South American football. What we want is to make it even bigger. With this kind of attitude, especially at altitude, it’s difficult to play football, especially against 14 men. I hope CONMEBOL takes action, precisely because we have everything recorded. This can’t happen. This is absurd. What happened here today is sad. We came to play soccer, and what we saw was a bad game."
Despite the setback against Bolivia and the criticism, Ancelotti's focus remains on preparing Brazil for the challenges of the World Cup. He views the qualifying matches as valuable opportunities to assess the squad and fine-tune their approach. The road to the World Cup is long, and Ancelotti is banking on his experience and the talent within the Brazilian squad to deliver a successful campaign. The team will need to address their shortcomings and find consistency to stand a chance of competing for the title. Brazil's history in the competition demands they rise to the occasion.
Brazil's path to the World Cup title is not without obstacles. They face strong competition from other South American giants like Argentina and Uruguay, as well as European powerhouses like France, England, and Germany. To overcome these challenges, Brazil needs to improve their attacking efficiency, tighten their defense, and maintain their composure in high-pressure situations. Ancelotti's experience in managing top clubs across Europe will be vital in shaping the team's strategy and instilling a winning mentality.
Looking ahead, Brazil's upcoming friendly matches and training camps will be crucial in refining their game plan and building team chemistry. The team needs to use these opportunities to experiment with different formations, assess player combinations, and identify their strongest lineup. Ancelotti will be closely monitoring the players' performances and making adjustments as needed. The ultimate goal is to arrive at the World Cup with a well-prepared and confident squad capable of competing at the highest level.
While the loss against Bolivia served as a reality check, it also provided valuable lessons for the team. Brazil needs to learn from their mistakes and emerge stronger from the experience. Ancelotti is confident that they can overcome the challenges ahead and deliver a memorable performance at the World Cup. The support of the Brazilian fans will be essential in fueling their motivation and inspiring them to achieve their goals.
52% – O Brasil fez a pior campanha de sua história em Eliminatórias Sul-Americanas (52% de aproveitamento). No entanto, a segunda pior (56% em 2002) terminou no último título de Copa do Mundo da Seleção. Hexa? pic.twitter.com/y1KW4IghMo
— OptaJoao (@OptaJoao) September 10, 2025