Ronaldo says Carlo Ancelotti is using Raphinha wrong as Brazil legend questions decisions in 'nervous' World Cup draw against Morocco

Ronaldo, who played under Ancelotti at AC Milan, was left puzzled by the positioning of certain key players during Brazil's opening World Cup fixture. Speaking on ESPN Brasil's 'Resenha da Copa' ahead of the clash with Haiti, O Fenomeno highlighted a specific concern regarding Raphinha's deployment on the left flank, despite his stellar club form in a different role.

“The Raphinha on the left, when he had an incredible year with Barcelona playing on the right? Some things that were not possible to understand, which, in the second half, already started to improve,” Ronaldo explained.

The two-time Ballon d'Or winner believes that by playing Raphinha out of position, Brazil lose the natural width and directness that has made the winger so dangerous at the Spotify Camp Nou.

While critical of the setup, Ronaldo admitted that individual performances were likely hindered by the psychological weight of a World Cup opener. He noted that even veteran leaders like Casemiro appeared to struggle with the rhythm of the game, citing unusual technical errors from the squad as evidence of collective anxiety.

“I remain very optimistic. I think [it was] the pressure of the first game, and I had already noticed that, because it was not normal to miss so many passes, especially in the first half. Casemiro putting himself in a position to receive the ball with his back turned, you know? I think nervousness got in the way of the Brazilian national team. And later, watching the interview with Ancelotti and the players, admitting this nervousness, I calmed down too. It's normal, right? World Cup, right man? A nervousness like that in the guys, especially the newcomers,” Ronaldo added.

Looking ahead to the upcoming match against Haiti, Ronaldo suggested that a change in personnel on the right wing is necessary to provide the "stretch" that the Brazilian attack desperately lacked in their first outing. He singled out Botafogo star Luiz Henrique as the man to fix the congestion in the middle of the park.

“I don't know if [Ancelotti] will do this, but in my opinion, I would do the following: Luiz Henrique came into the game very well and opening the game a lot on the right. [Lucas] Paqueta couldn't do that, nor could Raphinha do that on the right, to open up the game like Vinicius did on the other side. This decongests the midfield a lot. And if Brazil has more space, it's better for us in any circumstance. I think he can make this small change,” the legendary forward stated.

Despite his calls for tactical adjustments, Ronaldo was quick to credit Morocco for their disciplined performance and expressed total faith in Ancelotti’s ability to steer the Selecao back on track.

“We should talk about Morocco too, right? What an interesting game, what speed, what strength... What a neat, organised team. We faced a tough nut. I think [Ancelotti] is a phenomenon, a guy with a lot of experience, good treatment of players, good at chatting. Besides the experience within football. He will correct the things he saw, and that we saw wrong, for sure,” Ronaldo concluded.