RIO DE JANEIRO, July 10 — Former striker Romario has called for the dismissal of Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti, describing the team’s World Cup elimination as “a disgrace”.
Ancelotti’s contract runs until 2030 but Romario said the Italian’s position had become untenable following Brazil’s 2-1 loss to Norway in the round of 16. “He cannot continue as Brazil coach, absolutely not,” Romario, who was part of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup-winning team, said in a video posted on social media. “If I were running the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), I would have gone into the dressing room, dismissed him and terminated his contract on the spot. The match against Norway was a disgrace,” Romario said. The former Barcelona attacker criticized Ancelotti’s tactical decisions and questioned why he hadn’t faced greater scrutiny from local media. “If he were a Brazilian coach, they would already have torn him apart,” Romario said. “But because he’s a foreigner, nobody says a word.” Ancelotti was appointed Brazil’s head coach in May 2025 on a deal initially running until the current World Cup. The CBF extended his contract for another four years before the World Cup.
Sunday’s loss in New Jersey marked Brazil’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990, when it also fell in the round of 16 to Argentina. On Monday, Ancelotti posted a message on social media urging unity and vowing Brazil would come back stronger.
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