Romario urges Brazil to end Ancelotti experiment after Japan defeat

Brazil great Romario has called for Carlo Ancelotti to be dismissed immediately after Brazil were beaten 3-2 by Japan in a friendly in Singapore.

Romario said Ancelotti had yet to show he was capable of leading the national team, despite the Italian’s highly successful record in club football.

Writing on his official Instagram account, the former striker acknowledged Ancelotti as one of the greatest managers in football history. However, he argued that reputation had been established with clubs and that the 66-year-old had not yet produced the expected standard with Brazil.

Romario also criticised the president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, calling on him to intervene and make a decisive choice.

He urged the federation president to show courage by ending Ancelotti’s contract, warning that allowing the current situation to continue could lead to further failures for Brazil.

Romario said Brazil’s shirt should not be used for experiments or ill-considered decisions, adding that supporters had already endured disappointing results. He also said the country could not afford to miss another opportunity at the World Cup.

The former forward suggested Ancelotti should return to club management if he wanted to continue his career, rather than remain in charge of Brazil.

Ancelotti, meanwhile, discussed his dismissal during the defeat by Japan. The Italian said he had been shown a red card because he was unable to control the substitutes’ bench.

He explained that all the players were on the pitch at the time, suggesting the incident had led to the referee’s decision, although he did not place the entire responsibility on the official.

Ancelotti expressed his disappointment at the result but said Brazil’s positive aspects also deserved recognition. He pointed to several players making their first appearances for the national team who had performed well.

The manager felt Brazil had produced an acceptable display for 70 minutes before the result was affected by an incident in which the referee did not blow the whistle. Ancelotti said that did not constitute a mistake by the referee, but added that the official lacked sufficient experience to handle a match of that size.

Brazil are scheduled to face Singapore on Tuesday, 17 November 2026, in the first meeting between the two national teams. The fixture is expected to provide Ancelotti with another opportunity to assess his options.

The match comes after the defeat by Japan and Romario’s criticism, increasing scrutiny of the Italian’s tactical selections and his ability to build a team capable of competing in Brazil’s forthcoming commitments.