The Italian Carlo Ancelotti will be the coach of Brazil from the Copa America 2024, organized in June and July next year in the United States, once his contract with Real Madrid comes to an end, announced Tuesday July 4 in Agence France-Presse a source from the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF).

The CBF clarified minutes earlier in a statement that Rio de Janeiro-based Fluminense’s Fernando Diniz would lead the five-time world champion side until Carlo Ancelotti takes over as coach.

The 64-year-old Italian manager is under contract with Real Madrid until June 2024, and he has said publicly that he wants to continue until then.

This announcement, made by a high-level source within the CBF who did not wish to be identified, puts an end to months of negotiations between the European and the boss of the Brazilian federation, Ednaldo Rodrigues, who has always considered Ancellotti as his preferred option.

Big challenge

Brazilian coach Tite, who had been in place since 2016, left his post after the defeat against Croatia in the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar in December 2022.

Ancelotti will become the fourth foreigner to take the reins of the Seleçao, the first in almost sixty years. The Italian had however declared on several occasions that he would retire after this last stint at Real, after almost thirty years on the sidelines. But he finally let himself be seduced by Brazil to take control of a Seleçao which is no longer a dream.

The challenge is daunting: the five-time world champions are chasing their sixth star in more than twenty years and their last title in 2002. Until Carlo Ancelotti takes office, Fernando Diniz, 49, will be divided between management technique of Fluminense and the Brazilian selection.