Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has claimed that his team bid farewell to the 2026 World Cup because of a second-half water break during their shock defeat to Norway.
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Subscribe Sekarang →The Selecao crashed out of the tournament in the round of 16 following a 2-1 loss against Norway, extending the South American giants" wait for a global title since 2002.
According to ESPN, the Italian tactician admitted that he may have misread the flow of the match at that exact moment, mistakenly believing his team had lost control before making crucial substitutions.
Ancelotti stated "I think we lost the World Cup during the water break period against Norway" because the team had been completely dictating the tempo of the game until that interval.
The former Real Madrid manager accepted responsibility for altering his lineup prematurely, which subsequently allowed Erling Haaland and Norway to seize the initiative and claim victory.
Despite facing sharp criticism for introducing Neymar late in the match, Ancelotti expressed zero regrets over the decision, insisting that the star forward was fully prepared and trained well.
Reflecting on the grueling tournament, Ancelotti noted that injuries to key players like Eder Militao, Rodrygo, Estevao, and Raphinha heavily disrupted his initial plans for the World Cup campaign.