Carlo Ancelotti extends contract at Real Madrid: how long for and what next for Brazil?

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to extend his stay at Estadio Santiago Bernabéu for a further two seasons until the end of June 2026. A contract extension for the Italian had been rumoured in recent days, with Los Blancos confirming the news via an official statement on Friday.

Real Madrid statement confirms Ancelotti contact extension

“Real Madrid and Carlo Ancelotti have agreed to extend the contract of our head coach until 30 June 2026.

“In his five seasons as coach of Real Madrid, he has won 10 trophies: two Champions Leagues, two Club World Cups, two European Super Cups, one League, two Copas del Rey and one Spanish Super Cup.

“Carlo Ancelotti is the only coach who has won four Champions Leagues and the one who has recorded the most victories in the History of this comPetition (118). Heis also the first coach to win each of the five major European leagues (Italy, England, France, Germany and Spain).”

Brazil had been confident of Ancelotti appointment

Having previously managed the club from 2013 to 2015, Ancelotti returned to the Spanish capital in 2021 and was due to be out of contract in June 2024.

The Italian had been strongly linked with the Brazil job, with the Brazilian Soccer Confederation (CBF) adamant he would take over as manager of the five-time World Cup winners upon the conclusion of his (now previous) contract with Madrid.

So confident were the CBF of getting their man, following the departure of Tite after the 2022 World Cup, they first appointed Ramon Menezes as caretaker coach and then current Fluminense chief Fernando Diniz as interim boss until next summer, assuming they would be able to tempt Ancelotti across the Atlantic.

The former Milan, Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain manager has, however, opted to stay put, which means they will have to go back to the drawing board, and may strengthen Diniz’s chances of getting the job permanently.

Ancelotti and Madrid cruising in LaLiga and the Champions League

In 2023-24, Ancelotti has guided Madrid to the top of LaLiga, where they are ahead of Girona on goal difference and seven points clear of Barcelona and Atlético Madrid. They qualified for the Champions League round of 16 as group winners, with RB Leipzig their opponents in the first knockout round.