Ancelotti has certainly seen the countless games taking place during this period in Europe, especially in England, where there are many Brazilian and foreign players who should be at the World Cup.
Manchester City, after a period of renewal, is playing well again, although it is still far from being the team that enchanted the world for years. The recently signed attacking midfielders, Dutch Reijnders and French Cherki, have performed very well.
Guardiola maintains the same tactical structure and philosophy of a lot of passing and controlling the ball and the game. The team plays with a deeper, centralized midfielder, the Spaniard Nico González, who scores, initiates the offensive plays, and a classic center forward, Haaland, who has scored an absurd number of goals. Between the two there are four attacking midfielders who move a lot, two in the center and two on the sides. Other times, the coach uses one or two quick wingers and dribblers.
City, before Haaland, scored even more goals, which were shared by several players. That doesn’t mean it’s better not to have Haaland. They are different times. However, in theory, I prefer a center forward who moves throughout the attack, who makes passes and scores goals, even if there are fewer of them, even more so if he is a Kane, a Benzema.
The team has been playing without a typical center forward. Vinicius Junior is the centralized and most advanced striker. In addition to Vini, Ancelotti has several options. João Pedro has performed well and scored goals for Chelsea. He retreats, exchanges passes and moves throughout the attack. Matheus Cunha, who has been a starter in the central midfielder position, has similar characteristics to João Pedro. If Ancelotti needs a classic center forward, the options are Pedro and Richarlison. If you want a faster center forward, you can choose Vitor Roque or Kaio Jorge.
It’s a shame that Endrick hasn’t evolved, always on the sidelines at Real Madrid. He was loaned a few days ago to Lyon, France. He has the talent to become the Brazilian team’s great center forward, as he combines characteristics of several types of center forwards.
In the match between Manchester United and Newcastle, the Brazilian team’s midfield formed by Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Matheus Cunha was present. The team has played with Casemiro and Bruno further back, almost in line, and Matheus Cunha ahead of the three and close to Vinicius Junior.
The three have performed well in the national team, but I prefer the formation with a more centralized midfielder to mark and initiate offensive plays, in addition to a midfielder on each side, who marks, builds and attacks. This is how many great teams in world football play, such as Manchester City, PSG, the teams from Argentina, Spain and Portugal.
On one of my daily walks, to strengthen body and soul, a reader told me that he is sure that Brazil will be world champions because they have a special, experienced coach and because, above all, they haven’t won the title in 24 years, the same period they went without winning between 1970 and 1994. I told him that, if Brazil wins, it will also be because they have many exceptional players. He replied: this is of little importance, he will win because the time is right, it has already been written.
Feliz 2026.
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