Carlo Ancelotti: Neymar's call-up depends only on him and what he shows on the pitch'

"Last May he was appointed Brazil head coach with one objective: to win the World Cup. I'm not obsessed with winning, Ancelotti says. What I have is a passion for enjoying the moments that football has given me. I'm not obsessed with winning the World Cup, but I have the pleasure and passion to enjoy the moment I'm living in, leading the most important national team in the world."

"Having played in the World Cup, this is the first time Ancelotti will take charge of a team at the tournament. His task is to put Brazil back on top of the world and break a drought that goes back to 2002, which equals the longest period the nation has gone without winning the World Cup since the lean period from 1970 to 1994. Ancelotti does not seem fazed though and one of the reasons is his passion for the sport."

"He may have had 47 years at the very top 16 as a player and 31 as a head coach but what is striking during our long interview is that he has lost none of his enthusiasm for his job. He is here because he is in love with football. I couldn't live without football, he says. If I'm no longer on the pitch, I'll be there as a fan watching the match. For me, watching a match on the TV isn't work. It's a pleasure."

"I really love cinema. For me, football is like the pleasure of watching a film. It's the same feeling. The day I stop working in football, I'll still watch in the same way, without any problem. Many players consider Ancelotti to be the best coach they have worked with; Kaka, Toni Kroos, Gareth Bale and Vinicius Junior to name a few. So what makes him so special? I really don't know, he says with a laugh."

Carlo Ancelotti is a highly successful football manager with multiple Champions League titles and league titles across major European countries. He was appointed Brazil head coach with the goal of winning the World Cup and ending a long title drought since 2002. He says he is not obsessed with winning, but has a passion for enjoying the moments football provides, including leading Brazil. He describes his lifelong enthusiasm for the sport, stating he could not live without football and would continue watching matches as a fan. He compares football viewing to watching a film, describing it as pleasure rather than work. Players who worked with him often consider him among the best coaches they have had.

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