Brazil coach Ancelotti confident of World Cup contention, Neymar to miss opener

Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil's coach, believes his team possesses the quality and experience to contend for the World Cup title, ending a 24-year drought. "We have a team that can compete with every team in the world, we're convinced of that," Ancelotti stated, acknowledging the honor and responsibility of managing the "country of football." This marks a new experience for the Italian, who has won five Champions League titles as a club coach but will make his managerial debut in the sport's biggest tournament with Brazil.

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It's a new experience, it's a new responsibility to represent the country of football.

Despite a rocky qualifying campaign where Brazil lost six of 18 matches and finished fifth, Ancelotti feels the players are well-prepared for their Group C opener against Morocco. The team faces challenges, including the absence of injured forwards Rodrygo and Estevao, and Neymar, who will miss the first game due to a calf injury sustained in May. "Neymar is working very hard to recover as quickly as possible," Ancelotti said, emphasizing the star's importance for his experience and leadership, not just his indisputable football ability.

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It comes down to two words: responsibility and honor. It's a unique and very beautiful moment in my career.

Vinicius Junior, expected to lead the attack in Neymar's absence, expressed his determination to bring Brazil back to the top. "I'm here to bring Brazil back to the top. I have more games and more experience than at the last World Cup, I'm here to have an excellent tournament," the Real Madrid forward declared. He stressed that the World Cup starts from zero for all teams and that Brazil is ready to "change history." While Brazil defeated Morocco 3-0 in the 1998 World Cup, Ancelotti predicted a balanced tournament, acknowledging Morocco's significant progress in recent years, including their 2022 World Cup semifinal run.

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We have a team that can compete with every team in the world, we're convinced of that. It's a team with quality and experience, and with absolute confidence that it can compete with anyone.