Thiago Silva questions Ancelotti’s Brazil revamp

Thiago Silva questions Ancelotti’s Brazil revamp After helping Fluminense beat Platense 2-0 in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores quarterfinals, veteran center-back Thiago Silva turned his attention to the current situation of the Brazilian National Team. In an interview with Rádio Tupi, Fluminense’s No. 3 criticized coach Carlo Ancelotti’s approach, as he has opted for a squad overhaul at the start of this cycle leading up to the 2030 World Cup. Thiago argued that age should not be the deciding factor in pushing aside players who are still performing at a high competitive level. The defender used himself as an example, recalling that he came close to playing in a World Cup at 41 years old. "Do you want me to lie or tell the truth? You can’t rule out players who are 31, 32, 33. I almost went to the World Cup at 41. You can’t discard someone who is in good form. With the Brazilian National Team, things have to be done gradually. You can’t take everyone out and just put in younger players. It has to be step by step. It’s very difficult to be a Brazil national team player, it’s very different from club football. He comes from European football, where that’s easier to do. Here it doesn’t work like that. You need to make changes and get results. And if possible, play well too," the defender said. Thiago Silva also pointed out that the management style Ancelotti is used to applying at clubs in the Old Continent does not translate perfectly to the environment of the five-time world champions. According to him, representing Brazil requires a different dynamic: renewal is necessary, but without failing to deliver results and good football. "I don’t like this kind of change and I don’t agree with it, but he’s the one in charge," he concluded. Shared history Despite their "difference of opinion" over the direction of the national team, Thiago Silva and Carlo Ancelotti know each other very well. The two worked together at Milan in 2008, shortly after the defender emerged at Fluminense. Their time together in Italy, however, lasted only one season, as Ancelotti soon moved on to Chelsea. With deep experience in the national team, Thiago is well qualified to speak about the atmosphere at Granja Comary. Although the dreamed-of World Cup title eluded him, his journey with Brazil is remarkable: 113 appearances, seven goals, spots in four World Cups, and Confederations Cup (2013) and Copa América (2019) titles on his résumé. Do you agree with Thiago Silva’s view, or do you think Ancelotti is right to cut the old guard once and for all after the World Cup failure? This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.