Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has shared his thoughts ahead of Brazil’s 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 clash against Norway and also praised the impressive performances of the “Blue Sharks.”
Ancelotti confirmed that he has already decided who will replace Lucas Paquetá in Brazil’s starting lineup for the Round of 16 match against Norway, reports A Bola,
However, the Brazilian coach chose not to reveal the name of the selected player, although he mentioned Danilo and Gabriel Martinelli as possible options.
“We don’t have any player in the squad with the same qualities as Lucas Paquetá. We have to replace him with different players. Danilo is different from Gabriel, who is different from Cunha, who is different from Ederson,” the coach explained. “We will choose what is best for the team, taking into account the strengths of our opponent.”
According to Ancelotti, the main criterion for selecting Paquetá’s replacement will be the player’s ability to fulfill the defensive responsibilities on the left flank, just as Paquetá did.
“Defensively, we need someone who can drop back on the left side when we don’t have possession. Martinelli and Danilo can do that,” he explained. “In attack, the task will be to occupy the space between the center and the left side of the attack.”
Ahead of the highly anticipated match against Norway, one of the standout teams of the tournament, Ancelotti also reflected on Cape Verde’s remarkable performance.
“Who would have thought Argentina would struggle against Cape Verde? No one. That’s modern football. It’s not Argentina’s fault, but congratulations to Cape Verde, their players, and their coach for playing such a fantastic match,” he said.
