Ancelotti: the hydration break turned the match, but I take responsibility
The coach pointed to the hydration break as the decisive moment, but emphasized that he takes responsibility for the result.
Brazil were eliminated in the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, leaving the national team outside the tournament’s top eight for the first time since 1966.
Ancelotti pointed to the hydration break, but accepted responsibility
In a conversation with ESPN, head coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team had control up to the hydration break, after which, in his view, the course of the match changed.
"I think we lost to Norway because of the hydration break. Up to that moment, the team had control. Norway had a lot of possession in their half, but the same happened against England, and they failed to win," Ancelotti said.
Despite pointing to this as a factor, Ancelotti made it clear that he feels responsible for the outcome. "Maybe I made a mistake there. I thought we lost control at a moment when we actually didn't. I made certain changes, and the problem was the Netherlands' goal," he added, acknowledging the tactical changes and the impact of the Netherlands' goal on the campaign.
Ancelotti arrived as Brazil's coach with high expectations, but the World Cup ended much sooner than expected in a country where football is a religion.
Because of the defeat, pressure will increase for a review of the selections and match decisions while the football federation and the coaching staff analyze the reasons for the early elimination.
Photo: Brasil Football 🇧🇷@BrasilEdition X
