In an interview with ESPN, Ancelotti stated that Brazil made a misjudgment during the second-half water break in their World Cup match against Norway, incorrectly adjusting the team's tactics and ultimately losing the game.
The Italian coach revealed this in an exclusive interview with ESPN, his first since the World Cup ended 24 days after the team's 1-2 defeat.
Ancelotti admitted that he may have misjudged the game at that stage, believing that Brazil had lost control of the match. Therefore, he decided to make adjustments.
Ancelotti said: "Overall, I think the work done this year has been successful. Logistically, the national team has been very well organized in terms of hotels, pitches, and training grounds. I think the evaluation of the players this year has also been positive. I also believe that the 26 players selected are the best fit for the World Cup."
"But we must take into account that the original plans have changed due to injuries. From March until the start of the World Cup, we suffered a lot of injuries: Militao, Rodrigo, then Esterwán was injured, and Wesley was also injured before the World Cup. During the World Cup, Rafinha was injured as well. Therefore, our plans have changed somewhat."
"But I think we lost the World Cup during the water break against Norway. Why? Because before that, the team had been controlling the game. Of course, Norway did have possession, and they were in their own half a lot of the time... Norway played like that against England too. They controlled the game and even had a chance to beat England."
Ancelotti then explained the reason: "Perhaps my mistake was that I thought the team had lost control of the game, but in reality, the team hadn't. I made some changes to the team structure (during the water break), and then we encountered the problem of Haaland's goal. In the World Cup, when you concede a goal in the 30th minute of the second half, it's very difficult to come back. Of course, we also had chances to pull one back..."
Was it a mistake to bring on Neymar?
Ancelotti faced considerable criticism for bringing on Neymar in the final stages of the match, with some arguing that this change threw the team off balance. Ancelotti stated that he does not regret his decision.
Ancelotti said: "That's not how it works. When I brought on Neymar, I took off Rayan and put Enderic on the right wing. My idea was that Neymar could provide assists and also showcase his individual ability at that stage (the 70th minute). That's the same approach I originally intended to take against Japan."
"Why did I choose to start Gabriel Martinelli against Japan? Because the team completely controlled the game. Japan was just making counter-attack transitions. That game didn't necessarily need goals, more importantly... I was thinking of starting Neymar in extra time against Japan."
"I brought Neymar on early in the hopes of regaining control of the game. Of course, you also have to consider the decisions you have to make. I've heard Tuchel say he's received a lot of criticism, and the truth is, coaches have to make decisions under very difficult circumstances. It's a very stressful moment, and you can't make the right choice every time."
“I think Neymar should have come on then. He should have come on at that time because he was in good form, he was performing well in training, and he was ready. I like his attitude. I think he helped the team. But his appearance doesn’t mean that the team structure needs to be changed.”
