Psychology, not therapy: Brazil reshape World Cup base to prioritise mental health | OneFootball

Brazil have elevated mental wellbeing to the heart of their World Cup plans, with Carlo Ancelotti stressing the psychological side is crucial at a tournament.

According to Globo.com, the CBF has reintroduced a sports psychologist to the staff and adjusted daily routines at the team’s New Jersey hotel to support players’ minds.

Team physiologist Guilherme Passos said the hotel was reworked with relaxation areas, a quiet room for reading or solitude, and refined outdoor green spaces. With about 90 people living together for 40 or up to 50 days, the focus is on giving individuals places to switch off and find calm.

Family contact will be allowed only on rest days, set for the day after matches. Routine visits are not permitted during working days at the camp.

The psychologist is Marisa Santiago, a sports psychology specialist who has worked at Atlético-MG, Bahia and Cruzeiro. She is currently at Grêmio and has been called up by the CBF since 2024 for international windows.

Santiago underlines that her role is not to run therapy sessions, but to be available so players can manage pressure and express their football comfortably on the pitch.

During the World Cup she will also prepare players, and brief staff, on staying focused if matches face delays or stoppages.

Source: Globo.com