Ancelotti on picking Militão at full-back, inspired by Brazil '94 | OneFootball

Coach Carlo Ancelotti explained the decision to play Éder Militão as right-back for the friendly against Senegal, scheduled for this Saturday at 1 p.m. (Brasília time), at Emirates Stadium. According to him, the defender has different characteristics from the other full-backs used recently and can help make the defensive system more solid.

“Militão has a different profile from other right-backs, like Wesley or Vanderson. Obviously, I will ask him to play in this different position, because his style of play is different compared to the others. It’s an option we can use at the World Cup to give the team more defensive solidity,” Ancelotti explained.

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Inspiration from the Fourth Title

Ancelotti also took the opportunity to mention the Brazilian National Team that won the 1994 World Cup, which according to the coach was a team focused on defense, in addition to having great individual quality, especially with Romário and Bebeto.

“The story of Brazil’s penultimate World Cup victory was focused on defense. It was a very solid team, that didn’t really enjoy the game. It also had fantastic individual quality. There were two forwards, with two lines of four and Romário and Bebeto up front to make the difference,” he said.

“It’s a very important aspect for the next World Cup: a solid defense helps quality players make the difference. Defending well is a fundamental aspect,” he concluded.

It’s worth noting that in 1994, Carlo Ancelotti was assistant to Arrigo Sacchi for Italy, who were defeated by Brazil on penalties in the grand final.

National Team Lineup

The likely starting eleven for the Seleção for this Saturday’s match is: Ederson; Éder Militão, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Alex Sandro; Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães; Estêvão, Matheus Cunha, Vini Jr. and Rodrygo.

The National Team’s Upcoming Matches

Brazil vs Senegal Date and time: November 15, 2025 (Saturday), at 1 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Emirates Stadium, in London (ENG)

Brazil vs Tunisia Date and time: November 18 (Tuesday), at 4:30 p.m. (Brasília time) Venue: Decathlon Stadium, in Lille (FRA)

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.