Zemaria: Ancelotti is the right choice for Brazil

Ze Maria played in Parma from 1996 to 1998, and worked with Ancelotti. The winger is the first Brazilian to play for the famous coach. As soon as the FIFA World Cup 2022™ ended, a message popped up on Carlo Ancelotti's phone. "Man, come and be Brazil's coach." This request came from former Brazilian right-back Ze Maria. He played for Portugal Sports, Palmeiras and Flamenco early in his career, and he completed a transfer from Brazil to Parma, Italy between 1996 and 1998, his first match with Ancelotti, and this transfer was also his first European experience. He met Ancelotti again after his player career, this time during an observation period between Chelsea and Napoli, where he appeared as a coach. Nearly two and a half years have passed since the inconspicuous message was sent, but it was not until May 26 that Ancelotti finally took charge of Brazil. Ze Maria is the first Brazilian to play under "Carello", and he undoubtedly believes that the former Real Madrid coach is the right person to lead the Brazilian national team to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"He has played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, and one thing you notice is that no matter where he is, he can convince players to do what he wants them to do without the tough tricks that many coaches would use. Instead, he does it with his calm, that Olympic level calmness, and thus convinces anyone to accept his ideas," Ze Maria told FIFA.

"It has been like this since he played for Parma, when he turned 30, until his recent time in Real Madrid," he continued. "Have he had problems in his career? Of course, but you've never seen Ancelotti lose his temper. He rarely changes his tone. I've seen him angry with the players, which is natural, but he never offends anyone." The calmness in the locker room has always been considered one of Ancelotti's biggest strengths, he is the most successful coach in Champions League history, has won five championships and is the only coach to win domestic titles in the top five European leagues.

"Turning Point" in Ancelotti's career

In his coaching career, Ancelotti was also a player and a very talented player. He has experienced various situations as the core of the midfield in clubs like Roma and AC Milan. Most of the time, he was at the top of the standings, competing for trophies, but that wasn't always the case.

Then, after rejecting the offer from Real Madrid and Barcelona, ​​Ze Maria joined Parma with Flamenco and won a bronze medal with Brazil at the 1996 Olympics. Other players such as Amaral, Hernan Crespo and Lilian Tulam also joined Parma.

On the other hand, after Ancelotti successfully upgraded to Serie B in Regiana, he encountered problems in his first six months in Parma. Midway through the 1996/97 season, the team was at the bottom of the league and the locker room was in chaos. Then, a tense meeting changed everything.

"I think it's a turning point in Ancelotti's career. Because there was a meeting where he had a very candid conversation with the players. The rest of the coaching staff were not involved. I saw everything he did and I thought, 'Oh my goodness, this would never happen in Brazil,'" Ze Maria recalled.

"He listened and let everyone speak. Finally, he said, 'I'm sorry, I need your help to get out of this situation.' I remember that's like today." "That's how he convinced the locker room. He changed the way he coached, and the team was what it is. It's a good leader. You listen to the people you are responsible for, those who support you, and do your best to make the team better, right? He successfully improved the team while not creating a heavy atmosphere."

Parma rebounded strongly in Serie A and ended up finishing second, only two points less than Juventus. This is the best league result in Italian club history, and they qualify for the Champions League.

"He is very humble"

Ancelotti's personality has been with him throughout his career and combined with other qualities on the court, he always maintains a good relationship with the club. "There are a lot of successful football coaches in the world, and wherever they go, it's like they're going through a hurricane. They stay nothing, you need to start from scratch. But it's not him. He always leaves a solid foundation when he leaves and keeps things moving forward to a higher level," Ze Maria added.

Since retired in 2009, Ze Maria has followed in Ancelotti's footsteps and has become a coach, currently in charge of the Italian fourth-level league. More than once, the former winger asked his mentor for guidance in an attempt to learn more. In his first year after hanging up his boots, in 2010, he went to London to observe Ancelotti's daily life at Chelsea.

"At the time, the team was very strong, there were a lot of incredible players, and everyone was better than the other players, and I looked at them and thought about how he kept everyone respected," Ze Maria explained. "The way he was there to receive me, his attitude towards me. I live in his home, he took me to the locker room to meet the staff, have lunch with the players, watch the training on the field, while he was still having a meeting. His modesty was simply incredible. Although he had won everything, he hadn't changed at all."

From next week, this will be open to Brazil, who dreamed of winning that coveted sixth FIFA World Cup.