Carlo Ancelotti lauds youngsters, seeks improvement in defence despite Brazil’s 4-0 win over India

Brazil, after a round-of-16 exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is looking to prepare a new side for the next cycle, with this window being the first after the quadrennial tournament.

Updated : Oct 04, 2026 08:23 IST , Kolkata - 3 MINS READ

Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil defeated India 4-0 on Saturday. | Photo Credit: AP

It is a rare sight to see Carlo Ancelotti lose his cool on the touchline. And it takes only a manager of his calibre to sport a three-piece suit in Kolkata’s sweltering heat.

Cool as Ancelotti remained the mood even after the match as he gave a measured assessment of his team’s performance against India – a 4-0 win at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Saturday.

“Now is our time to give an opportunity to the young (players) to be part of the squad, for us to know if they have the quality to be part of the national team in the future,” Ancelotti said after the match.

Brazil, after a round-of-16 exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is looking to prepare a new side for the next cycle, with this window being the first after the quadrennial tournament.

Ancelotti called up eight new players for this tour, seven of whom took the field on Saturday, including goalkeeper Pedro Morisco, who made his senior international debut.

“It was a good test. Some players could do better; others did really well. It was not an exam, but an opportunity. At the end of this window, after these three games, we, as a commission, are quite satisfied.”

Ancelotti named an experimental squad for this tour, with 10 players from the Brazilian domestic circuit. Against India, he made eight changes in the starting 11 from their previous match – a 4-2 win against Australia – to allow each player an opportunity to impress.

“We know these players very well; I think Jair (Cunha) played very well. He had a good time in the first game, better in the second game. Breno (Bidon) came in showing his qualities; Arthur Dias did very well, and the goalkeepers too,” he explained.

“We have to give them opportunities because we know that players who don’t have minutes in the club have more difficulty playing competitive games, like Estevão and Endrick.”

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But there was some frustration that seeped out from his voice. His team’s defence was indeed tested by a team ranked 131 places below Brazil.

“We defended well, but we could have done better. They had a couple of opportunities to counterattack, but I think it’s important for us not to concede a goal. We did that,” Ancelotti said. “Obviously, we have to improve some mechanisms in defence, but we have a new defence that has never played together. So maybe not everything was perfect.”

Meanwhile, Brazil’s midfielder Bruno Guimaraes lamented the lack of attacking intent.

“If we had pushed harder, it would have been a game for seven, eight goals. We could have done better. Obviously, 4-0 is a lopsided score, but I think we could have played better,” he told reporters in the mixed zone.

Brazil’s win was a relief for Ancelotti, but lapses against lowly-ranked India will give him plenty to ponder. And only time will tell whether his cool will win the test of time and keep him in the Brazilian dugout when this cycle ends in the 2030 World Cup.