Ancelotti’s Brazil Is Winning Without the Old Samba Style

Brazil’s 3-0 win over Haiti did not suddenly make it the favorite to win the 2026 World Cup, but it offered the clearest glimpse yet of Carlo Ancelotti’s project. After the earlier opener against Morocco exposed midfield confusion, a predictable attack and too much dependence on Vinicius Junior, the Haiti match showed a more organized, balanced team.

Against Haiti, Matheus Cunha was the central figure in the box and scored twice, but his biggest contribution was creating space for Vinicius. The Real Madrid forward was no longer expected to solve everything alone. Instead, he became Brazil’s creative driver, assisting, initiating moves and setting the tempo. Brazil looked less one-dimensional, more varied and more stable.

The article says the bigger story is Ancelotti himself. For decades Brazil tried to preserve its romantic image of flair, freedom and improvisation, but modern tournament football demands more structure. Ancelotti, often viewed as a conservative coach, arrived not to restore the past but to adapt Brazil to the present. His team is beginning to resemble the European sides he coached: more organized, patient and tactically disciplined, with star players operating inside a clear system rather than above it.

The author notes that Haiti is not a serious benchmark for a World Cup contender, and the problems seen against Morocco have not fully disappeared. Still, the match suggested Ancelotti is shaping a new Brazilian identity, less samba and more control, less instinct and more structure. In the 2026 World Cup, that may be exactly what Brazil needs.