Ancelotti admits Brazil ‘lost’ World Cup to Norway during second‐half drinks break

Carlo Ancelotti believes Brazil’s World Cup 2026 campaign slipped away during a second‐half drinks break against Norway, admitting he misread the flow of the last‐16 tie before making decisive substitutions.

Brazil were knocked out in the round of 16 after a 2-1 defeat by Norway, extending the Selecao’s wait for a first world title since 2002. Ancelotti, now head coach of the national team, said a brief pause for players to take on fluids became a turning point.

“I think we lost the World Cup during the water break against Norway,” he told ESPN. “Why? Because the team was in control of the match up to that moment.”

The Italian coach conceded that his own reading of the situation prompted changes which ultimately opened the door for Erling Haaland’s decisive goal.

“Maybe that was my mistake,” he said. “I thought the team had lost control of the match when it hadn’t. I made some changes to the line-up, then we had the problem of Erling Haaland’s goal. And at a World Cup, when they score against you in the 30th minute of the second half, it is very difficult to come back. But we did have a chance to equalise.”

Misjudged momentum against Norway

Ancelotti stressed that, until the break in play, he felt Brazil had handled Norway’s approach well, even if possession figures suggested otherwise.

“It is also true that Norway had the ball, and they had it a lot in their own half,” he said. “Norway played the same way against England. They controlled the match, but in the end they could have beaten England.”

His decision to reshuffle the team after that intervention from the officials has since been heavily scrutinised, particularly his choices in the attacking positions in the closing stages.

The defeat ensured the continuation of Brazil’s recent pattern of falling short on the biggest stage, with the five-time world champions again unable to turn pre-tournament expectations into a title challenge.

Injuries forced change of plan

Ancelotti defended the broader work of his staff and squad over the previous year, insisting Brazil’s preparation and environment around the tournament had been exemplary despite several key fitness setbacks.

“In general, I think the work done over the year was excellent,” he said. “From a logistical point of view, the Brazil team was extremely well organised in terms of the hotel, the stadium and the training ground. I think the players’ performances over the year were positive. And I believe the 26 players called up were the right ones to be there.”

However, he acknowledged that injuries forced him to deviate from his initial tactical blueprint.

“It turned out we had to accept that the plan we drew up last year changed a bit because of injuries,” he explained. “We suffered a lot of injuries between March and the World Cup: Eder Militao, Rodrygo, then Estevao, and Wesley was injured before the World Cup, and during the World Cup Raphinha got injured. So the plan changed a little.”

Neymar decision defended

Ancelotti has faced strong criticism for introducing Neymar late on against Norway, with some pundits arguing the move “disrupted the balance” of the side. The former Real Madrid manager, though, remains convinced it was the right call.

“No,” he said when asked if he regretted the substitution. “When Neymar came on at that moment, I took off Rayan and put Endrick on as a right winger, thinking Neymar could create a goal or show his skills at that moment, in the 70th minute. That’s what I was planning to do against Japan.”

He then drew a comparison with the round-of-16 win over Japan, where he opted for a different solution while still keeping Neymar in mind.

“But why did I play Gabriel Martinelli against Japan?” he continued. “Because the team was completely in control of the match. Japan were only relying on counter-attacks. The objective was not to score a goal; I was thinking of bringing Neymar on in extra time against Japan.”

Against Norway, Ancelotti said he advanced that plan to try to regain grip of the contest rather than chase a desperate winner.

“I brought Neymar on a bit earlier to regain control of the match,” he said. “Then you also have to think about the decisions you have to make… I heard (Thomas) Tuchel say he was criticised a lot, and the truth is you have to make an extremely difficult decision. It is a very tense moment, and you do not always get it right.”

‘He had to come on’

Despite the fallout from Brazil’s elimination, Ancelotti insisted Neymar’s introduction was justified by the forward’s condition and contribution in training.

“I think Neymar had to be brought on, he had to come in at that moment because he was playing well, he trained well, he prepared well,” Ancelotti concluded. “I liked his attitude. I think he helped the team. But with his introduction, there was no need to change the team’s structure.”