In over a century of international football, Brazil’s football federation has largely shied away from trusting foreign managers with its top job.
Only three non-Brazilians have ever led the side, and they coached just seven games in all.
Uruguayan Ramon Platero was the first in 1925 and managed four games, Joreca from Portugal managed two games in 1944, with Argentine Filpo Nunez the last foreign appointment, managing a single game in 1965.
It has been a similar story in Brazil’s domestic league, Serie A. The sense had always been that only a Brazilian could truly understand what it means to play football there.
This culture changed soon after Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus, who was linked in recent reports, external as another candidate for the Brazil job, took over in 2019 at Flamengo.
His arrival initially came amid doubts that a pragmatic European system could bring success.
Jesus went on to lead Flamengo to the league title as well as the Copa Libertadores, with the Rio de Janeiro club experiencing one of their most successful seasons ever. His team won 43 of their 57 games before Jesus left in July 2020.
Since then there has been a domestic shift and acceptance of foreign coaching in the country – and this is now translating to the international stage.
“This is an important wall coming down,” Vickery told BBC Sport.
“Especially as it now seems that Ancelotti wants to do the job from Europe which is going to be very controversial.”
Ancelotti will be the first true European titan at the helm, with a decorated trophy cabinet that includes five Champions League titles and domestic trophy success in Italy, England, France, Spain and Germany.
