Analysis: Brazil survive like Real Madrid in Ancelotti thriller

Brazil survived a World Cup scare against Japan, ultimately winning 2-1 in a match that echoed Carlo Ancelotti's signature style of resilience and late-game heroics, much like his successful Real Madrid sides.

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control, wobble, self-inflicted trouble and then, when logic was packing its bags for extra time, a late act of defiance that belonged as much to the heart as to the tactics board.

Ancelotti, who has emphasized grit throughout the tournament, saw his Brazilian team test his theory to its limits. Despite controlling the game for long stretches, Brazil's performance was marred by self-inflicted errors. Danilo, playing center-back at nearly 35, misplaced a simple pass, and Casemiro, another veteran, struggled to match a Japanese runner's pace, exposing the team's vulnerabilities.

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His best Real sides were not always flawless, but they carried something more dangerous than perfection: the certainty that the story was never over.

For periods, Brazil appeared caught between their storied past and a less certain present. They seemed too established to panic but too flawed to feel secure. This is precisely the territory where Ancelotti's teams often thrive, focusing on competitive nerve and maintaining clarity amidst chaos rather than relying on flawless domination.

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Brazil dominated from the start and were the better team, but they were also exposed by mistakes that felt predictable, familiar and dangerous.

Just as Japan seemed poised to force extra time, Brazil found an escape route. Teenager Rayan's relentless pressing led to a turnover, and he set up Bruno Guimaraes. Guimaraes then found substitute Gabriel Martinelli, who finished clinically to secure the victory. The dramatic late goal was a testament to the team's ability to find a way, a characteristic that has defined Ancelotti's most successful campaigns.

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For a while, Brazil looked trapped between their past and present: too grand to panic, too flawed to be comfortable.