​Vinicius Junior and coach Carlo Ancelotti left Brazil’s World Cup campaign on a painful note as they fell 2-1 to Norway in the last-16 at the MetLife Stadium. The Brazilian federation had pinned hopes on the Italian maestro to end Brazil’s long World Cup drought, but two Erling Haaland goals sealed the outcome, after Bruno Guimaraes saw an early penalty saved. Neymar’s late successful spot-kick offered only a consolation as Brazil, who dominated little and possessed only 34 percent, exited the tournament earlier than expected. Appointed in May last year and recently extended to 2030, Ancelotti acknowledged the enormity of the miss while remaining realistic that winning this year’s World Cup would be difficult. “A defeat is the start of a new adventure. Now we need to keep working hard and keep improving. This is football. You just have to deal with it. We will use this as fuel going forward,” he said.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) had pursued Ancelotti for two years before securing his services. Brazil’s path had been rocky since their 2022 quarter-final on penalties to Croatia. Tite left, Fernando Diniz took charge for qualifying but lasted six games, Dorival Junior then led them to a Copa America exit in 2024 before his dismissal in March. Ancelotti guided Brazil to fifth in the South American qualifying zone, ten points behind Argentina, and the expectation had been that they would contend strongly on the world stage. Instead, they reiterated a familiar pattern: since lifting the World Cup in 2002, they have failed to beat European sides in knockout rounds, and in the five preceding World Cups they reached the quarter-finals four times and the semis only once—in a chastening 7-1 defeat by Germany at home in 2014.
Looking ahead, progress may hinge on Endrick and a reimagined generation. Sunday’s loss left Vinicius Junior, the Real Madrid forward who turns 26 soon, reflecting on the setback. “Being knocked out of a World Cup is always a huge blow,” he said. “But now we have to move on; there’s not much we can do.” Attention will now shift to rebuilding for the next Copa America in 2028 and ultimately the 2030 World Cup. By then, Brazil would have gone 28 years without the trophy. Ancelotti’s storied sideline career in Europe—five Champions League titles included—underscores the high bar he has faced, even as he seeks to restore Brazil to its former glory.