Secret weapon Zico, internet blackouts and emotional video messages from the favelas: The inside story of how Carlo Ancelotti swapped Real Madrid for Brazil - from the man who brokered the deal
When Carlo Ancelotti flew into Rio de Janeiro before being unveiled as Brazil’s first foreign manager in a century, the pilot of his private jet banked towards the statue of Christ the Redeemer. ‘The challenge was to give Carlo a connection to Brazilian soccer,’ he says. I sent the guys to the favela, where children played soccer on the video. In the final scene of the video, the children of the favela say, “Carlo Ancelotti, we’re waiting for you. ‘When he watched the video, he started to tell the history of Brazilian soccer to his wife, Mariann,’ recalls Fernandes.
Source: Daily Mail December 23, 2025 07:21 UTC
