Winning five World Cups used to mean something. It meant when the yellow shirt walked into the tunnel, the other team was already down a goal mentally. But things feel different now. Honestly, if you’ve watched the Brasil national soccer team over the last couple of years, that old aura of invincibility has basically vanished.
It’s been a rough ride.
We’re currently in January 2026, and the road to the North American World Cup has been anything but smooth. Fans in Rio and São Paulo aren't just annoyed; they’re worried. For the first time in a long time, there’s a real debate about whether Brazil even belongs in the "top tier" of favorites for the upcoming tournament.
The Ancelotti Era: Is It Actually Working?
The biggest story of 2025 was undoubtedly the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti. After a chaotic period involving interim coaches and the short-lived tenure of Dorival Júnior—who was sacked in March after a brutal 4-1 loss to Argentina—the CBF finally landed their man. Ancelotti is the first foreigner to lead the men's team in a World Cup cycle. That’s a massive cultural shift for a country that pridefully kept its coaching roles "in-house" for decades.
But has "Don Carlo" fixed the leaks?
The stats say: sort of.
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Under Ancelotti, Brazil finished their qualifying campaign in 5th place. Let that sink in. 5th. They finished with 28 points from 18 games, which is officially the worst qualification campaign in the history of the Brasil national soccer team. They lost matches in places they usually dominate—Paraguay, Uruguay, and even a 1-0 heartbreaker in the thin air of Bolivia last September.
The tactics have shifted to a "Real Madrid-lite" style. Ancelotti has largely ditched the rigid positional play of the Tite era. Instead, he’s leaning into a fluid 4-2-4 or a very aggressive 4-2-3-1 where the front four roam wherever they want. It’s fun to watch when it clicks, but when they lose the ball, the midfield duo of Bruno Guimarães and a revitalized Casemiro are often left stranded.
The Neymar Problem (and the Santos Resurgence)
You can't talk about the Brasil national soccer team without talking about Neymar. He’s 33 now. He’s back at Santos, playing in the Brazilian Serie A to stay "sharp" for 2026. While he’s been scoring goals domestically, he hasn't been a permanent fixture in the national team lately due to fitness concerns.
Ancelotti has been very clear: Neymar needs to be 100% fit to start.
There's a growing camp of fans who think the team is actually more "collective" without him. Without Neymar as the sun everything orbits around, players like Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo have had to step up. Vini Jr, in particular, has been the face of the team, though he still struggles to replicate his Real Madrid scoring form when he puts on the yellow jersey.
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The New Kids on the Block
While the veterans struggle, the youth movement is actually pretty exciting.
- Estêvão Willian: The 18-year-old Chelsea-bound winger is the real deal. He scored in the 2-0 win over Senegal in November and looked like the most dangerous player on the pitch.
- Endrick: Still finding his feet, but his raw power is something Brazil hasn't had in a "number 9" for a while.
- Andrey Santos: He’s been a rock in the midfield when Casemiro needs a rest.
What Really Happened in the 2025 Qualifiers?
The loss to Argentina in March 2025 was the tipping point. It wasn't just the scoreline; it was the total lack of identity. Argentina looked like a well-oiled machine, while Brazil looked like eleven guys who had just met in the parking lot.
That loss led to the sacking of Dorival Júnior and the emergency "all-in" move for Ancelotti.
Since then, the results have been a mixed bag. A 3-0 win against Chile showed glimpses of the old "Joga Bonito." Luiz Henrique and Lucas Paquetá—who is back in the mix after his betting investigations were cleared—linked up beautifully. But then, they went to Bolivia and looked completely lost again.
The Full-Back Crisis
If you want to know why Brazil is struggling, look at the wings. Not the forwards, the defenders. Gone are the days of Roberto Carlos and Cafu. Ancelotti has been rotating through names like Vanderson, Wesley, and Caio Henrique, but nobody has truly "owned" the position.
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Right now, Éder Militão is often being asked to play as a conservative right-back just to stop the bleeding on counter-attacks. It makes the team more solid but takes away that overlapping threat that defined Brazilian soccer for fifty years.
How to Fix the Brasil National Soccer Team Before June
The World Cup starts in June 2026. Brazil opens against Morocco at MetLife Stadium. If they want to avoid another quarter-final exit—or worse—they have to fix three things immediately.
- Commit to a Starting XI: Ancelotti loves to "chop and change," but this team needs chemistry. The constant rotation of full-backs is killing their defensive rhythm.
- Define Neymar’s Role: Is he the captain and starter, or a "super-sub" for the final 30 minutes? The ambiguity is hanging over the locker room.
- The Midfield Balance: You can’t play four attackers and expect Guimarães to cover the entire center of the pitch alone. They need a more disciplined structure when they lose possession.
The road to the sixth star is looking steep. But hey, in 2002, Brazil also had a terrible qualifying run and ended up winning the whole thing. Maybe the struggle is just part of the script.
Your Next Steps for Following the Seleção:
- Track the Friendlies: Brazil plays France and Croatia in March 2026. These are the "litmus test" games. If they get bullied in midfield there, expect a tactical overhaul before the World Cup.
- Watch the Santos Box Scores: Keep a close eye on Neymar’s minutes. If he’s not playing 90 minutes regularly by April, don't expect him to be the centerpiece in North America.
- Monitor the Full-Back Stats: Watch if Ancelotti settles on Vanderson or stays with the "defensive" Militão approach; it will tell you exactly how aggressive he plans to be against Morocco.