Winger’s importance rising as talisman Neymar struggles with fitness
With the 2026 World Cup fast approaching, Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti is fine-tuning his attacking setup as he looks to lead the Selecão to a sixth world title.
The Italian coach took charge of Brazil earlier this year after ending his tenure at Real Madrid, and has spent the international windows since then experimenting with different systems.
Key to his plans is his protégé while at Real Madrid – Vinicius Junior. Neymar’s long-term injury has left Brazil without their most influential attacking figure, but Ancelotti wants to build around the Madrid forward.
He said the winger offers the Selecão quite a bit of flexibility in attack.
“I see Vinicius as a winger or as a central striker,” said Ancelotti. “Vinicius has the quality to score many goals. When you’re playing as a winger, to score goals you have to do three or four dribbles, touch the ball seven or eight times. And in the centre, just one well-timed movement is enough to score a goal. He understood it, he likes playing in that position.”
Ancelotti ruled out using him as a traditional No 9 but said his movement in transition will be important.
“We can take advantage of a player who can help a lot as a winger, not as a forward in the area because he is not a reference point inside the box,” said the Italian. “But to attack the area with space, he is very, very dangerous.”
Vinicius said: “[Ancelotti] has done what he did at the other clubs he’s been at. His job has been to instill confidence in the players and make everyone feel comfortable so they can take advantage of each player’s strengths in their best position.
“He always tells us that he wants to make the Brazilian people happy, to get us back to playing the football we’ve always had, and to try to win the World Cup, which is our biggest goal.”
