The plan is bold, and at the time it was hatched, it made sense. Carlo Ancelotti, hugely decorated doyen of club football, adaptable enough to have won championships in all five of Europe’s top-ranked leagues, earmarked to become the manager of Brazil, the most successful nation in World Cup history. What could go wrong?
So enthused by the idea is Ednaldo Rodrigues, the president of the Brazil Football Confederation, that two months ago he announced the deal was all but done. Ancelotti would see out one more season at Real Madrid, where he is in the third year of a second stint, and join Brazil’s Selecao as manager next summer in time for June’s Copa America.
Yet Rodrigues had been jumping ahead. The Italian Ancelotti is interested, talks have taken place but both parties could still step back from the arrangement.
There are hitches, too. The South Americans have not had a foreign manager for almost six decades, and there are those who think the national team so important to the country’s sense of sovereignty that it should always be managed by a Brazilian.
More pragmatically, there is an argument that, for all his wisdom, and his long-held enthusiasm for taking on a national team role, it is a hard ask of Ancelotti that he should fly across the Atlantic in June and go briskly into a major tournament within less than three weeks of the end of a club season he is intensively involved with at Madrid.
Which is where Fernando Diniz, Brazil’s interim manager, fits in. He is temporarily in the job, in charge for the season’s World Cup qualifiers, starting against Bolivia on Saturday, with a view to assisting Ancelotti as of next summer. Might that work? Ancelotti will not answer the question. He has declared he will not address publicly any issues around a possible future with Brazil for the next eight months.
The Ancelotti-in-waiting plan has also become more complicated than it was, because elite football’s centre of gravity has shifted significantly in the last two months. Being a coach based in Europe, watching plenty of Uefa Champions League football, provides an excellent view of the leading South American players.
Ancelotti has that and, better, he works daily with Vinicius Junior, Eder Militao and Rodrygo, leading Selecao players employed by Madrid.
But others who are key to Brazil’s plans have moved this summer, out of Europe, not back to South America but to Saudi Arabian clubs. Come the Copa America, it is not implausible to imagine the spine of Diniz’s – or Ancelotti’s – starting XI being at clubs in the big-spending Pro League.
For Saturday’s qualifier against Bolivia, Roger Ibanez, of Al Ahli, has been picked among the central defenders; Fabinho, who has joined Al Ittihad from Liverpool, remains on the Selecao’s radar for central midfield. And there’s Neymar, now of Al Hilal, who hopes to be fit enough to break Pele’s record of international goals for Brazil – he has 77, equal with the late legend – this week or next.
Top Saudi Pro League signings
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Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr): The transfer that started it all. The Portuguese superstar moved to the Saudi Pro League in January after his acrimonious exit from Manchester United. Ronaldo scored 14 goals in his first 16 Saudi Pro League games. AFP -
Karim Benzema (Al Ittihad): The first statement signing of the summer transfer window, Ballon d'Or holder Benzema joined the Saudi champions after agreeing an exit from Real Madrid. The French striker was welcomed with a fittingly grand ceremony. Reuters -
N'Golo Kante (Al Ittihad): The French midfielder soon followed Benzema to Ittihad once his Chelsea contract expired. Kante, a two-time Premier League winner and World Cup champion, adds further glamour to the Saudi Pro League. AFP -
Ruben Neves (Al Hilal): By far the most expensive player in Saudi Pro League history. While Ronaldo and Benzema are the bigger global names, both arrived on free transfers. Portuguese midfielder Neves shattered the transfer record by moving to Hilal from Wolves for £47 million. AP -
Kalidou Koulibaly (Al Hilal): After completing the record-breaking move for Neves, Hilal turned their attention to Koulibaly, recruiting the Senegalese centre-back for £20m. Despite a difficult season at Chelsea, Koulibaly has been one of the standout defenders of his generation. AFP -
Edouard Mendy (Al Ahli): Before his long-term shoulder injury, Mendy was one of the best goalkeepers in the world, winning the Champions League with Chelsea and Africa Cup of Nations with Senegal. His £16m move to Ahli can help revive his career. AFP -
Jota (Al Ittihad): The Saudi champions are making major moves this summer, and the £25m acquisition of Portuguese winger Jota boosts an attack led by Benzema. PA -
Marcelo Brozovic (Al Nassr): Arriving to provide support to Ronaldo at Nassr, Croatian midfielder Brozovic joined the Saudi club for £15m after another impressive season for Champions League finalists Inter Milan. AFP -
Steven Gerrard (Al Ettifaq): Major arrivals are not only happening on the pitch but in the dugout. Former Rangers and Aston Villa manager Gerrard was appointed by Ettifaq and will aim to revive his career in Saudi. AFP -
Roberto Firmino (Al Ahli): The former Liverpool forward left Anfield after eight successful seasons to lead the attack at Ahli. @ALAHLI_FC / Twitter -
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic (Al Hilal): Arguably the most eye-catching deal of the summer. The 28-year-old Serbia midfielder has frequently been linked with Europe's biggest clubs but has opted to join Hilal in a €40m deal. His midfield partnership with Ruben Neves would be the envy of many European teams. Reuters -
Jordan Henderson (Al Ettifaq): The former Liverpool captain is expected to wear the armband following his move from the Premier League giants. The midfielder departed Anfield after 12 years, seven major trophies and 492 appearances. Reuters -
Alex Telles (Al Nassr): The Brazilian defender linked up with former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo at Al Nassr this summer. Telles spent the 2022/23 season on loan at Sevilla, helping the Spanish club win the Europa League. He joined Nassr for a reported fee of £4 million. Getty -
Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli) - Algerian winger Mahrez left Manchester City after five years at the Etihad Stadium in which he won 11 major trophies. In all, he made 236 appearances, scoring 78 goals. Reuters -
Allan Saint-Maximin (Al Ahli): The French winger signed for Jeddah giants Al Ahli on a three-year contract after confirming his departure from Newcastle. During his four years on Tyneside, Saint-Maximin scored 13 goals in 124 appearances. AFP -
Fabinho (Al Ittihad): An integral part of a Liverpool squad that won the Champions League and Premier League in successive seasons following his move from Monaco in 2019. Capped 29 times for his country, the Brazilian midfielder joined the Saudi Pro League champions on a three-year contract. AP -
Sadio Mane (Al Nassr): After six highly successful years at Liverpool, in which he won the Premier League and Uefa Champions League titles, Mane endured a frustrating season at Bayern Munich, though he contributed to their title success. The Senegalese, 31, will be part of a fearsome attacking line up alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Nassr. Getty -
Malcom (Al Hilal): Not content with breaking the Saudi Pro League transfer record once, Al Hilal did so twice this summer and made Brazilian winger Malcom the most expensive player in Saudi football history. AFP -
Seko Fofana (Al Nassr): A player in demand this summer after a superb season to help Lens run PSG close in Ligue 1, the Ivory Coast midfielder opted to link up with Ronaldo at Al Nassr over moves elsewhere in Europe. AC Milan had been strongly linked. AFP -
Franck Kessie (Al Ahli): The Ivory Coast midfielder's time at Barcelona may not have worked out but he remains a top-level operator and adds more quality and star power to Al Ahli. Getty -
Moussa Dembele (Al Ettifaq): A shrewd free transfer by Gerrard's Al Ettifaq, the French striker has moved to the Saudi Pro League side on a four-year deal and should provide the goals. AFP -
Neymar (Al Hilal). The Brazilian completed his move from PSG and is one of the biggest stars in the ever-expanding Saudi Pro League. He was unveiled in front of thousands of fans in Riyadh on Saturday. Getty -
Yannick Carrasco (Al Shabab). After 265 appearances across two spells at Atletico Madrid, the Belgian winger joined the Riyadh club for a reported fee of €15 million. Carrasco also spent two years in the Chinese Super League. EPA -
Georginio Wijnaldum (Al Ettifaq): The Dutch midfielder enhanced the Liverpool connection at Ettifaq, joining former teammate Jordan Henderson at the Damman club coached by Reds legend Steven Gerrard. Wijnaldum, 32, has signed a three-year contract. Reuters -
Gabri Veiga (Al Ahli): Widely regarded as one of the best midfield prospects in Spain, 21-year-old Veiga signed for Ahli on a three-year deal from Celta Vigo despite interest from Liverpool and Napoli. Veiga said he opted for the Saudi Pro League to "grow the game" in the kingdom. EPA -
Aymeric Laporte (Al Nassr): A vital part of Manchester City's squad that clinched a treble of league, cup and Uefa Champions League in 2023, the Spaniard switched to Nassr over the summer to link up with Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. A fee of £23.6 million makes the 29-year-old the league's most expensive defender. Getty Images -
Otavio (Al Nassr): The Portugal midfielder scored 31 goals in 283 games in all competitions for Porto after joining the team in 2014. He linked up with Riyadh-based club after Porto accepted a bid of around $65 million. AFP -
Merih Demiral: (Al Ahli): The imposing Turkey centre-back boasts Sporting of Lisbon and Juventus among his previous clubs and stood out in Serie A across two seasons at Atalanta. The 25-year-old joined Ahli on a three-year contract. Getty
Neymar headed out from Riyadh for the international pause in the calendar having giving an interview to O Globo in which he was careful to praise both Diniz – “Brazil’s ideal coach right now” – and Ancelotti – “if he comes, he’ll be welcomed and I’d enjoy working with him” – as well as looking regretfully back on some of his time at Paris Saint-Germain, the club he left last month. “Both I and Lionel Messi lived through hell at PSG,” he said of how some PSG fans had turned against Neymar and Messi.
Messi, 36, is now at Inter Miami, still captain of Argentina’s reigning world champions and by no means alone for combining club football outside Europe with the highest international ambitions. He is one of three players employed in America’s MLS in the Argentina squad to take on Ecuador this week.
Major European national teams are also suddenly obliged to scan more widely to monitor their players’ club form. Portugal, led by Al Nassr’s Ronaldo, have summoned his club colleague Otavio and Ruben Neves of Al Hilal for their Euro 2024 qualifiers.
Spain, the Uefa Nations League holders, have Al Nassr’s Aymeric Laporte with them this week and Al Ahli’s new signing, the prospect Gabri Veiga, 21, in their medium-term plans.
Italy, under a new coach because Roberto Mancini left to take charge of the Saudi Arabian national team, may soon be calling up their midfield governor Marco Verratti from a Gulf club, with his exit from PSG likely, and the transfer window still open in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
As for the champions of Africa, Senegal won last year’s Afcon with a team dominated by footballers based at European clubs. It is now built around a spine of Pro League stars, with Sadio Mane, Kalidou Koulibaly, Habib Diallo and goalkeeper Edu Mendy all calling Saudi Arabia their home.
