Ancelotti talks Endrick, Vinicius, Rodrygo, World Cup – ‘I won the Champions League with them’ | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti’s new stint as the manager of the Brazilian national team saw the Selecao secure a 3-0 win over Chile before losing 1-0 to Bolivia.

A key feature of his management so far was the team selection, with the former Real Madrid manager resorting to a high degree of rotation between the two matches.

Nevertheless, as Brazil prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the big question is how exactly will Ancelotti employ the services of three Real Madrid attackers in Endrick, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo.

Ancelotti managed all three players at Real Madrid last season, but all of them ended up enduring a difficult campaign and were outshone by Kylian Mbappe.

Ancelotti on Rodrygo, Vinicius and Endrick

In a recent interview with L’Equipe, Ancelotti was asked about Vinicius’ role in the team and whether or not he will be a part of Brazil’s World Cup squad next year.

“If he is in good health, yes. He must be at his best,” the Italian coach said about Vinicius’ place in the team.

This should come as a huge boost for a player who has struggled with form and must reinvent himself sooner rather than later.

Will Vinicius be a part of Brazil’s 2026 World Cup squad? (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Ancelotti was also asked about Rodrygo’s place in the World Cup, to which the Italian sounded a lot less confident despite confirming that he will be a part of the team if he is in good form.

“If he is at his best, he will be an excellent player. You can’t talk to me about this duo, I won the Champions League with them,” he said about Rodrygo.

Finally, the former Real Madrid coach was asked about Endrick, who struggled to make a mark during his first season at the club.

Ancelotti admitted Endrick’s struggles but added that the competition at Real Madrid might have played a key role.

“Endrick is similar to Estevao. He is a great talent. I coached Endrick for a year, and I was very impressed with him as a person and as a professional player.

“It’s clear that he didn’t perform well last year because Real Madrid has Rodrygo and Vinicius. Competition in a big team is extremely important, and this can slightly affect a player’s development,” he concluded.

It must be noted that Real Madrid have enjoyed a positive start to the new season under new coach Xabi Alonso.

While Rodrygo and Endrick have struggled due to game-time and injury, Vinicius’ form has been encouraging, with the Brazilian being involved in three goals in La Liga so far.