With two months to go before the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Brazil are hopeful that Carlo Ancelotti can provide the national team with a tactical identity that allows them to compete for the title in North America. Filipe Luis expressed confidence that the Italian coach will get the job done in time.
“Ancelotti brings us many good things,” Filipe Luis said during a conference organized by Conmebol this week, according to Diario AS. “There are no guarantees we’ll win anything, but it’s the best that could have happened.”
The former Atletico Madrid defender pointed to the timing of Ancelotti’s arrival to take over the national team. In mid-2025, Brazil were coming off a heavy loss to Argentina in Buenos Aires and, with four matches remaining in the South American qualifiers, had not yet secured their place in the World Cup.
Carlo Ancelotti delivered the results needed to achieve that goal and has since used every FIFA break to shape a team that had struggled to meet expectations since the departure of Tite after the 2022 World Cup at Qatar.
Vinicius Junior is subbed off by Carlo Ancelotti, Head Coach of Brazil.
Filipe Luis believes in Brazil’s chances
The general consensus among fans and analysts lists Spain, France and Argentina as the top favorites to win the 2026 World Cup. Despite being the most successful national team in the competition’s history, Brazil are not placed in that top tier, but rather in a second group alongside other powerhouses such as Germany, England and Portugal.
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However, Filipe Luis warned those who might count Brazil out of the title race. “Brazil will always be one of the favorites, even when things aren’t going well,” said the former Flamengo manager, extending that view to Argentina as well.
To support his confidence in Ancelotti’s squad, Filipe Luis pointed to the team’s individual talent: “People don’t believe Brazil can win. But if you look at the five best players in the world, we have two: Raphinha and Vini Jr.”
Brazil’s path in the 2026 World Cup
Brazil are in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. They will open their campaign on June 13 against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, before traveling to Philadelphia six days later to face Haiti. Their final group-stage match will be on June 24 in Miami against Scotland.
If everything goes as expected and Carlo Ancelotti’s side finish top of the group, they will advance to the Round of 16, where they would face the runner-up of Group F — made up of Netherlands, Japan, Sweden and Tunisia — in Houston on June 29.
