Don Carlo Ancelotti, the 66 year old Italian tactician who now commands the Seleção bench, has sent a clear message to the football world and the Su...
Don Carlo Ancelotti, the 66 year old Italian tactician who now commands the Seleção bench, has sent a clear message to the football world and the Super Eagles. � rivals alike. In an exclusive sit down with GoalZaza, the Brazil handler declared that the return of Paris Saint Germain. �s Neymar Júnior to the famous yellow jersey depends entirely on what the player shows on the pitch, not on his previous standing or the weight of his name. Ancelotti, a man who has collected five Champions League crowns and league titles in England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain, smiled when asked about ambition.. �Me? I am not ambitious. Why are you asking that?. � But make no mistake. The powers that be in Brazilian football have handed him the lion. �s share of responsibility. He is tasked with delivering a sixth World Cup to the most important national team in the world. At the end of the day, he insists it is not obsession but passion that drives him.. �What I have is a passion for enjoying the moments that football has given me,. � he said.. �I have the pleasure to enjoy the moment I am living in, leading the most important national team in the world.. � Ancelotti, whose calm but formidable approach was honed during his time at Real Madrid, also spoke about unlocking the best from Vinícius Júnior. The Brazilian winger, now a Ballon d. �Or contender, has grown into a clinical force under the Italian. �s watch. The secret, Ancelotti explained, lies in allowing the player to express himself freely while demanding rigorous application. For Nigeria. �s Victor Osimhen, this news is a double edged sword. While the Super Eagles talisman would relish a fully fit Neymar on the pitch for a potential Brazil versus Nigeria showdown, he also knows that Ancelotti. �s pragmatic system will leave no room for sentiment in the World Cup qualifiers. For Ancelotti, the dream remains alive. But he has made it plain: no player, not even Neymar, will walk into the Seleção starting eleven on name alone. Back home in Lagos, at the popular viewing centres in Surulere, fans watching Ancelotti. �s words on GoalZaza would be shaking their heads with admiration.. �This man dey talk like true coach,. � an elderly supporter would mutter while sipping a sachet of pure water. In Abuja, at the Wuse Zone 4 football bars, young football analysts would debate whether Neymar, even at 30 per cent fitness, would still make the Brazil bench. But the consensus would be firm. The Italian don has given the world a masterclass in man management. And for the Super Eagles, the message is the same: reputation is nothing, performance is everything.
