Brazil getting 'worse and worse' as coach Carlo Ancelotti warned Selecao job will be 'much more difficult' than Real Madrid

The Selecao legend also criticised the current generation of Brazilian coaches, stating he is "disappointed and sad" that their shortcomings led to the appointment of a foreigner, with Ancelotti enduring a mixed start to life since accepting the national team job. In their last outing, Brazil surrendered a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Japan in a friendly.

Leao, who was capped by his country and later managed the team, expressed serious reservations about Ancelotti's initial impact and his ability to communicate with the squad. He pointed to inconsistent early results as a sign of the challenges ahead. "One friendly went really well, the other was a disappointment. And he was there on the bench, struggling to communicate," Leao said to CNN.

The former shot-stopper believes the immense pressure and unique environment of the Brazil national team will require a level of intense focus that may be unfamiliar to a club manager. "His work will be very arduous, very difficult," Leao predicted. "I think he's going to have a lot, not just a little, a lot of difficulty. And everyone who works with him - Brazilians, athletes, managers, coaches, assistants, players - has to cooperate. Because this process is going to get worse and worse."

While Ancelotti has managed Europe's biggest clubs, Leao was quick to dismiss comparisons between those roles and the task of leading Brazil, arguing the pressure is incomparable. "Ah, Real Madrid is a club. You own it, the club, and you're responsible for it. The national team, you have an entire nation either against you or for you. So, the national team is much more difficult," he said.

Leao also rejected the idea that Ancelotti being European gives him an advantage in managing players based on the continent. "I don't think it helps much, no," he added. "Because today, with the media, you can watch every game you want every week and get an individual opinion on each athlete." He suggested this focus on Europe comes at a cost, questioning Ancelotti's knowledge of domestic talent: "Why didn't he call up many people playing in Brazil? Because he doesn't know much."

Leao’s criticism was not reserved solely for Ancelotti, as he turned his ire on the state of coaching within Brazil, viewing the Italian’s appointment as a symptom of a deeper problem. He questioned the lack of top-level domestic managers, a situation he finds deeply troubling.

"Now, all the clubs, at least the biggest ones, are being run by only foreigners. Where are they? Where's Brazil? Where are the Brazilian coaches?" he asked. "I am highly disappointed and sad with this generation of new coaches who allow something like this, not being able to show much more impact, much more directness, much more quality to be part of the Brazilian national team."

Brazil have not won the World Cup since 2002, marking the nation's longest-ever title drought. The years since have been defined by immense pressure and disappointment, with the Selecao failing to reach another final. Their struggles include four quarter-final exits and the humiliating 7-1 semi-final loss to Germany in 2014.

Leao's pointed comments add to the pressure on Ancelotti as he navigates a challenging period for the Selecao. The team are coming off an inconsistent World Cup qualification campaign where they finished a disappointing fifth, securing just eight wins from 18 matches and ending with a run of two losses in their final five games. The weight of a nation's expectation is immense, and legends like Leao publicly questioning the direction of the team will only intensify the scrutiny on the decorated Italian manager. Ancelotti's immediate task will be to silence the doubters and forge a cohesive unit capable of returning Brazil to the summit of international football, a challenge Leao believes is his most difficult yet.