Ancelotti sends his best to Italy from Brazil and praises Serie A star: ‘Nobody like him’ | OneFootball

Brazil national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti has sent his best wishes to the Italy side ahead of their World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday evening and has given even more praise to his former Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric, now at Milan: ‘There’s nobody like him on the world market’.

Ancelotti: ‘I hope Italy qualify, but I won’t be able to watch’

epa12137461 Italian Carlo Ancelotti attends a press conference where he was presented as new head coach of men’s Brazilian national soccer team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 26 May 2025. Ancelotti announced his first squad list for Brazil’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay. EPA-EFE/Andre Coelho

Italy will be in World Cup play-off final action away against Bosnia and Herzegovina at 19.45 BST on Tuesday evening, while Brazil, who have already qualified for the 2026 tournament, will take on Croatia in a friendly in Florida, USA, later on in the same night, kicking off at 1.00 BST in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Monday, Ancelotti told reporters: “I hope Italy qualify for the World Cup, but I won’t be able to watch the national team tomorrow. We have to prepare for our match against Croatia.” (via ANSA).

Among the opposition for Ancelotti’s Brazil in their upcoming friendly will be former Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric, who has excelled in Serie A at the age of 40 this season.

MILAN, ITALY – MARCH 08: Luka Modric of AC Milan celebrates the victory at the end of the Serie A match between AC Milan and Inter at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

“Modric can play in every position in the midfield, because he is a complete and modern player, one of the best players I have ever coached and a spectacular professional with an extraordinary passion for football,” Ancelotti said ahead of his reunion with the Rossoneri veteran.

He concluded: “There is nobody like Modric on the world market.”