Brazil Football Confederation (CBF) president Ednaldo Rodrigues has said Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti will coach Brazil at the 2024 Copa America after his contract expires at the Bernabeu.
On Tuesday, Brazil named Fernando Diniz as interim manager on a one-year deal while he simultaneously keeps his role with club side Fluminense.
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“Philosophy, not constantly changing it,” Rodrigues said. “He [Diniz] always had the same method … It’s a coach whose ideas are similar to the coach who’ll take charge in the Copa America, Ancelotti. I think they have almost the same tactics and philosophy.”
Despite receiving strong interest from Brazil in recent months, Ancelotti reiterated his desire to continue as coach of Madrid until his contract expires in June 2024.
Five-time World Cup winners Brazil have been without a full-time coach since Tite’s resignation following their quarterfinal exit at the 2022 world Cup in December. Brazil’s U20 coach Ramon Menezes has guided the national team since then.
Diniz has been at Fluminense since April 2022 and is under contract with the Brazilian club through Dec. 2024. He will make his Brazil coaching debut in their opening World Cup qualifier at home to Bolivia on Sept. 4.
“It’s a dream for anyone, an honor and an enormous pride to be able to serve the national team,” Diniz said after the announcement. “In fact it is a call up, a joint work of the CBF with Fluminense. I am very convinced that we can take this forward and make it work.”
Brazil will play a further five World Cup qualifying matches between September and November 2023, followed by a break until September 2024. Plans have also been announced for a friendly with Spain in March 2024.
The Copa America is due to take place between June and July 2024, in the United States, and the CBF are hoping to have Ancelotti on board by then.
The Italian manager has guided Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Madrid in a 28-year managerial career — becoming the only coach to win four Champions Leagues — but has never taken charge of a national team.
