Dial D for ‘Don Carlo’! Decoding Ancelotti’s tactical masterclass | FIFA World Cup 2026

Carlo Ancelotti has been saying it for weeks. That this long and complicated World Cup would be decided by grit and resilience. It seems Brazil were paying attention—even if they spent much of the Round of 32 match against Japan testing that idea to its absolute limit.

In many ways, Brazil’s 2-1 victory wasn't just a win; it was a classic Ancelotti masterclass. The script was a familiar one: establish control, stumble into a wobble, create some self-inflicted trouble, and then, just when everyone is preparing for extra time, deliver a late moment of defiance.

Ancelotti knows a thing or two about navigating long, difficult tournaments from his time at Real Madrid. His most successful Madrid teams were never perfect, but they had something far more potent: the unshakeable belief that the game was never truly over.

The similarities to this Brazil side are striking. In 2022, Real Madrid mounted incredible comebacks against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, and Manchester City on their path to Champions League glory, surviving one seemingly lost cause after another. It wasn't always pretty, but was effective, driven by a steely resolve, a calm clarity in the midst of chaos, and a stubborn refusal to accept defeat, even when it seemed the only logical outcome.

For decades, Brazil have carried a similar aura at the World Cup. Every four years, the tournament felt like their personal property, their stage, their home. Much like Real Madrid in the Champions League, they didn't just participate; they owned the space. Rivals often felt that to truly belong on that stage, you had to go through them.

Against Japan, this Brazilian team showcased both sides of that Ancelotti coin. They dominated from the start and were clearly the superior team, but they were also left vulnerable by mistakes that felt predictable and dangerous. First, Danilo—a full-back with experience at Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Juventus, now playing as a centre-back who turns 35 in two weeks—gave away the ball while building from the back.

Then, Casemiro, another of Ancelotti's trusted veterans, couldn't keep pace with Japanese attacker Kaishu Sano—a stark reminder that while experience provides authority, it doesn’t always provide fresh legs. For a period, Brazil seemed caught between their legacy and their current reality: too proud to panic, yet too flawed to feel secure.

But this is precisely the territory where Ancelotti's teams thrive. The Italian coach has never been one for static, possession-based dominance. His best teams often come alive in the margins.

With Endrick coming in for the injured Lucas Pacqueta in the second half, Ancelotti deployed the 4-2-4 formation. The long balls started flowing in from the flanks to compensate for the inability to get behind the lines of the Japanese 5-4-1 low block.

A header from Bruno Guimaraes in the 52^nd minute set the tempo. Four minutes later, Casemiro made amends with his head for what his legs couldn’t do earlier, scoring the equaliser in the 56th minute off an assist from Gabriel Magalhaes after missing another chance two minutes earlier.

Vinicius Jr was free again and started making those penetrative runs down the left, almost putting Brazil in front in the 58^th minute with a flick. But it was deflected by Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki on to the far post.

Almost in the final play of the game, with Japan nervously eyeing the clock for extra time, that Brazil found their winning moment. Teenagers Endrick and Rayan were relentless in his pressing, winning the ball back before feeding it to Guimaraes, the engine of Ancelotti's midfield. He found substitute Gabriel Martinelli—another inspired move by Ancelotti, given his bi-match mentality—weaving through a crowd of Japanese defenders, and the Arsenal striker provided a ruthless finish; the kind that crushes one team's spirit while convincing the other that destiny is on their side.

For Japan, the feeling was devastating. For Brazil, it was a moment that felt like a restoration of faith.

This was not a vintage performance from Brazil, neither at their most beautiful nor their most complete. But World Cups are rarely won with pure, flawless football. As Ancelotti reminded everyone, they are won by teams that can navigate their rough patches, recover from their own errors, and always believe there is one more chance to seize.

Brazil will next face either the Ivory Coast or Norway in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in the round of 16.