Carlo Ancelotti: World Cup Cannot Be Decided in First Match

Carlo Ancelotti, the coach of Brazil, emphasized that the World Cup cannot be decided from the first match after his team drew with Morocco. He expressed full confidence that the team's performance will improve as the tournament continues.

In comments highlighted by the Spanish newspaper Marca, Ancelotti said, "We are satisfied with this result; it is not bad, and we will fight in the next match. The World Cup cannot be won from the first game. Competing for the first time, for many reasons, may not go as one wishes, but we must move forward and prepare well for the next match."

He added, "The goal is to qualify and pass the group stage while improving over time. I have complete confidence. I believe that in football not everything goes perfectly, and when that happens, you must offer constructive criticism to improve things. This is just the beginning of this journey."

Regarding the team's technical performance, the coach commented, "We did not play well in the first half, but we improved in the second half. We had some chances, but we need to be more precise. The team fought until the last minute, and the positive thing is that it is very clear what we need to improve. What we did well in the two friendly matches did not work well in the first half. We have to work on that to have a more balanced and more aggressive attacking team."

On the performance of Brazilian star Vinícius Júnior, Ancelotti stated, "He scored a wonderful goal, he is always a dangerous player, and I think he has all the qualities to deliver a great World Cup."

Regarding the changes made to the lineup, the coach explained his strategy: "I have to make the most of the entire squad. I said yesterday that the starting lineup is not the one that will finish the match. The players who came on as substitutes played well."

Addressing the angry reactions and criticism, Ancelotti concluded, "You have to accept criticism when the team does not play well. I think the starting lineup was chosen carefully because we worked on it. I do not believe the criticism is directed at the players who started the match; the criticism is directed at the team that did not play well in the first half."