Brazil’s 2026 World Cup dream died on July 9 with a 2-1 loss to Norway in the Round of 16. Within hours, one of the most decorated players in the country’s football history was already drafting the eulogy for Carlo Ancelotti’s tenure as head coach.
Romário, the striker who led Brazil to World Cup glory in 1994, publicly called for the Italian manager’s immediate dismissal. His message was blunt: there’s no way Ancelotti can continue. And if the coach disagrees, he’s welcome to take it up with a lawyer.
A World Cup exit that stung differently
Losing to Norway, powered by two Erling Haaland goals, while fielding a squad that was supposed to announce Brazil’s return to the elite tier of international football produced the kind of result that gets contracts reviewed.
Romário characterized the defeat as a national “fiasco” and an “embarrassment.” This is a man who scored the goals that won Brazil its fourth World Cup title, and who has spent decades entangled in Brazilian football governance at the highest levels.
