Veteran Brazilian coach Abel Braga recently made waves with his strong opinions on the national team’s coaching choice. Braga, who once managed Portuguese clubs like Famalicão, Belenenses, and Rio Ave, believes the Brazilian Football Confederation made a mistake. He felt they should not have picked a foreign coach to lead the national side after Dorival Júnior was let go. This sentiment touches on a deep pride many feel for homegrown talent.
Braga wasn’t shy about his feelings when speaking to ‘GloboEsporte’. He admitted the decision truly bothered him. “I am not questioning Carlo Ancelotti’s skill,” Braga clarified. “Everyone who knows him personally says he is excellent.” However, Braga quickly added a colorful analogy. “But if you open his jacket, his skin is not green and yellow.” This vivid statement highlights his belief that Brazil’s national team should be led by a Brazilian. He stressed that all five of Brazil’s World Cup titles were won with Brazilian coaches at the helm.
He shared a sense of sadness. Braga noted that there’s a feeling nobody trusts Brazilian coaches anymore, especially due to recent results. This issue isn’t just with the national team; he sees it happening at the club level too. His comments came before Ancelotti even made his debut leading the Brazilian squad. Braga was keenly watching how things would unfold.
When Ancelotti finally took charge for his first match, Braga found the performance disappointing. “Ancelotti’s first game was ugly, truly awful,” Braga stated. “The team looked nervous and played too defensively.” What surprised him even more were the reactions from the press the next day. He felt if a Brazilian coach, like Dorival or Diniz, had produced such a game, the criticism would have been constant and harsh. Instead, Ancelotti seemed to get a pass, which Braga believes carried over into later games.
Looking ahead, Braga holds a pessimistic view about Brazil’s chances for their highly desired sixth World Cup title. He was clear: “I hope I am wrong, but I do not believe they will be world champions.” He feels they will have to keep waiting for that historic achievement. It’s a sobering thought from a coach who cares deeply about Brazilian football.