"I'm Not an Idiot": Brazil's Carlo Ancelotti Defends Himself and Names the Only Person He Takes Advice From

The Italian coach has forcefully defended his coaching abilities after facing heavy criticism regarding the Selecao's tactical style at the World Cup. He stated that Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson is the only one qualified to advise him.

The experienced manager faced intense criticism despite leading Brazil to a 2-1 comeback victory against Japan in Houston. Goals from Casemiro and Gabriel Martinelli in the second half secured the five-time world champions' passage to the next round. However, the public condemned the performance as too conservative. The usually composed Italian reacted defensively when questioned about his ability to lead the team to success ahead of the next knockout match, pointing to the immense longevity of his career.

'In Italy, they say that all men want to be coaches and all women want to be architects. I don't know if I understand anything about football or not, but no one can judge me on that,' Ancelotti explained. 'The only thing that is certain is that I have prepared over 1400 matches. That may not be enough to understand football, but it is certainly a lot of experience.'

In this regard, only Sir Alex Ferguson surpasses him, said Ancelotti, who oversaw over 2000 matches as a coach, 1500 of them at Manchester United alone.

The Scottish coaching legend could indeed be 'the right person to give me advice. I am one hundred percent sure that I am not a genius, but at the same time, I am one hundred percent sure that I am not an idiot.'

Endrick Praises Carlo Ancelotti

Despite growing fan frustration over the Brazilian team's sluggish and uninspired attacking play, the team's management appears to enjoy the full support of the squad. Forward Endrick strongly backed Ancelotti, noting that the experienced coach operates with a unique intuition.

'I don't think there could be anyone better than him. He's not afraid. He does what he thinks is right, and then it just works,' Endrick said. 'It seems like God is watching over him, and he is inspired because everything Carlo does just works. When the coach tells me to do something, I don't hesitate. I just do what he asks.'

Vini Jr. vs. Haaland: Brazil Must Improve

Brazil will face Norway in their round of 16 match on Sunday in New York. Unlike the record world champions, the Scandinavians are riding a wave of euphoria and have one of the tournament's top scorers in their ranks, Erling Haaland. The Manchester City striker has scored five goals in just three appearances so far.

The Selecao will need to improve to stay in the tournament. Vinicius Junior has been the standout player for the South Americans so far. The Real Madrid superstar is not far behind Haaland with four goals and one assist in four games. The winner of this match will face either Mexico or England in the quarter-finals.