The Surgery Won’t Heal Itself: Brazil’s Midfield Crisis and the Ancelotti Conundrum

Brazil’s World Cup exit has been met with shock, disappointment, and a sense of inevitability. The team’s struggles in midfield have been well-documented, but the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti four years ago was meant to be a game-changer. Instead, it has exposed the depth of Brazil’s problems.

The country’s reliance on Casemiro is a double-edged sword. He provides structure and frees up players like Bruno Guimaraes to create chaos, but his vulnerability in open space is a liability that Norway exploited with devastating effect. The absence of Lucas Paqueta, injured against Japan, highlighted the dearth of quality midfielders at Ancelotti’s disposal.

Playing Gabriel Martinelli as a direct striker was a desperate attempt to inject pace into the team, but it backfired. Brazil’s attack became too dependent on quick breaks, leaving them exposed when Norway found their rhythm. Neymar, once a magnificent talent, now seems like a relic of a bygone era. His cameo against Norway was a sad reminder that he’s no longer the player he once was.

Ancelotti’s decision to recall the injured star was baffling, given his history of controversy and petulance on the pitch. The coach’s insistence that this is “the start of a new cycle” rings hollow when faced with an ageing squad.

The long-term contract Ancelotti signed before the tournament has been touted as a sign of his commitment to Brazil’s future. However, can he really be expected to carry out a massive overhaul? His track record in Europe is impressive, but it’s one thing to tweak a team here and there, and another entirely to transform an entire squad.

Brazil needs major surgery – and fast. The country’s production line for wide strikers is thriving, but it’s time to focus on building a midfield that can compete with the best. The build-up to 2030 will indeed start now, and qualification will be a formality. But that doesn’t change the fact that Brazil needs a team worthy of its reputation.

The question now is whether Ancelotti is the man for the job. Can he really carry out the changes needed to take Brazil back to the top? Or will he be seen as a fixer, someone who can only patch up existing problems rather than truly transforming the team?

Brazil’s World Cup exit has exposed a deep-seated crisis in midfield, and it’s not just about individual players – it’s about a system that seems more focused on producing wide strikers than quality midfielders. The next few years will be crucial in determining whether Ancelotti can make the necessary changes or if he’ll be seen as a transitional figure.

The clock is ticking for Brazil’s football authorities to get their act together and produce a team worthy of the country’s reputation. As Ancelotti himself said after the Norway loss, “You just have to deal with it, deal with the sadness and the taste of defeat.” But for Brazil, that’s not enough. They need a plan – and they need it now.