One year out from the World Cup, Brazil simply do not have a team. There is no tactical blueprint — no great surprise, given there have been three different coaches since January 2023 — and no consensus about personnel beyond two or three key players. This is not a case of building on existing foundations, because there are none.

Carlo Ancelotti's future as the new Brazil manager is in serious danger as the five-time World Cup winners have been warned they could be expelled from the 2026 competition.

While Carlo Ancelotti is poised to take charge of Brazil, murmurs from within Real Madrid suggest that his departure is anything but permanent.