Felipão honoured and backs Brazil before Copa: “I want you to win” | OneFootball

Felipão was honored by Rodrigo Caetano and Carlo Ancelotti for his greatness in Brazilian footballCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

World champion in 2002, former coach Felipão was honored by the Brazilian National Team this Thursday (28) at Granja Comary, in Teresópolis (RJ), and delivered a message of encouragement to the players ahead of the World Cup. He was presented with a commemorative plaque featuring the main titles of his victorious career and a shirt from the 'Bate no Peito' campaign, and highlighted the importance of unity among the players while reaffirming his support for Brazil.

“A team doesn’t begin with Carlo alone, it begins with the entire staff. This is Brazil’s team. And know that one has to act for the other, and you have to demand from one another and accept from one another. Accepting is very difficult. You have a man (Carlo Ancelotti) who will lead you and who understands the game. So accept, engage in dialogue, talk. I want you to win, because when you win, Brazil wins, all of us win. I wish you all the best, and remember to give yourselves for Brazil and for one another,” he said.

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“How wonderful it is to be world champion, and you have every chance of doing that. It’s difficult, so stay united among yourselves. You were chosen and are part of an elite. And this elite has to understand: ‘I play for the other, I do it for the other,’” added Felipão, who, before the ceremony, watched the Seleção’s second training session for the World Cup.

Felipão delivered a message of encouragement and confidence to the Brazilian National Team players at Granja Comary ahead of the 2026 World CupCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

A longtime friend of Carlo Ancelotti, he was present in May of last year at the event introducing the Italian coach and announcing his first squad for the Seleção. The history between the two winners goes back a long way. After the 2008/2009 season, Scolari left his position as Chelsea manager — to this day, it is still rare to see Brazilians in charge of major European football clubs — and was succeeded by Ancelotti.

Among the 26 players called up, the 77-year-old from Rio Grande do Sul said he had already worked with Igor Thiago and Danilo Santos while they were in the youth ranks of Cruzeiro and Palmeiras, respectively, as well as Weverton, with whom he won the Brazilian Championship at Palmeiras in 2018, and Neymar, at the 2014 World Cup.

Felipão was honored by Rodrigo Caetano and Carlo Ancelotti for his greatness in Brazilian footballCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

Successful wherever he went

In Brazil’s fifth World Cup triumph, the coach led the team to a perfect campaign: seven wins in seven matches. With the Seleção, he also won the 2013 Confederations Cup. At club level, Felipão won the Copa Libertadores in 1995 and 1999, the Brazilian Championship in 1996 and 2018, and the Copa do Brasil in 1991, 1994, 1998, and 2012, along with a series of other titles.

He also coached the Portuguese national team between 2002 and 2008 and led them to a runner-up finish at Euro 2004. Today, Felipão is Grêmio’s technical coordinator.

Felipão attended the event introducing Carlo Ancelotti and announcing his first squad for the Brazilian National TeamCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

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