Whenever a politican speaks about football, fans are entitled to raise their eyebrows and question their motives. This time, Brazilian fans who love their national team have every right to do so considering the source of criticism about their coach-to-be.
Carlo Ancelotti's appointment with Brazil has been met with positive comments by fans and experts, even if he will become the third non-Brazilian boss (and first since 1965) to take over as A Canarinha's main man. Today, the first criticism against "Carletto" came from none other that Brazilian president, Luiz Inacio "Lula" Da Silva.
In a recent interview, the president of the South American country -who is known for his love for all-things Brazilian and for spending quite a bit of time in jail- criticized Ancelotti's appointment, hinting that he should have considered other employment opportunities rather than joining the Verdeamarelha.
"He has never been Italy's coach. Why doesn't he go and solve Italy's problems, especially after missing out on the previous World Cup?" "Lula" told SBT.
Going further in the interview, the president shared his views on the real problem for Brazil's team, which has to do with the talent pool available for the incoming coach.
"The main problem is that we don't have the kind of players we used to have. We're living in a time where kids leave Brazil when they are 16, 17, or 18 years old, and they only return when they have turned 36, 37, or 38. I mean, we let players leave in the prime of live and we hire them back when they are about to retire," the president added.
Even if he did not like Ancelotti's appointment, "Lula" did seem to favor Fernando Diniz's appointment as interim coach, which is set to end in 2024.
"I like Diniz's creativity and his personality. I think it is a great chance for him and I believe he will make the most out of it," the South American politician added.
Brazil and Ancelotti are expected to cross paths after the end of the 2023-24 La Liga season, when his deal with Real Madrid comes to an end. For further details on where to watch Brazil's games and Ancelotti's final matches with Los Blancos, be sure to visit our dedicated websites for La Liga and for the Brazilian National team.
