Carlo Ancelotti urges Italy to return to 'defensive mentality' as Brazil coach dissects World Cup failure

In Italy, the nation's game is undergoing a post-mortem after collapsing in the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia-Herzegovina. The penalty shootout defeat has resulted in a shake up at the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) with president Gabriele Gravina resigning, followed by national team delegation chief Gianluigi Buffon and coach Gennaro Gattuso.

Many players, coaches and pundits have weighed in on the deficiencies plaguing the national team and Serie A, with Ancelotti the latest to raise concerns about the direction of Italian football. The Brazil boss insists the nation has moved away from the defensive principles that once underpinned its greatest successes as the country’s traditional strengths are fading amid modern tactical trends.

Speaking about the current landscape, Ancelotti argued that Italian teams are increasingly vulnerable at the back. While European competitions regularly deliver high-scoring matches, he believes the spectacle often reflects defensive mistakes rather than attacking brilliance. According to the veteran coach, attempts to replicate aggressive pressing systems used elsewhere in Europe have distorted the tactical identity that historically made Italian football so formidable.

Ancelotti warned that Italian football is paying the price for abandoning its traditional strengths. "[Serie A] has lost its defensive solidity," he said to il Giornale. "We already lack talent in other areas of the pitch, but excessive control of the tactical aspect has distorted our characteristics, those on which we have always built our history."

Reflecting on recent high-scoring European fixtures involving clubs such as Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, Ancelotti said entertainment often comes at the expense of defensive discipline.

"I saw games with many goals; Atletico Madrid-Barcelona and Bayern-Real Madrid offered exhilarating moments for the fans," Don Carlo added. "But, too many goals also means too many mistakes, from goalkeepers and defenders. The so-called high pressure, man-to-man play, involves constant risks, and so the result changes from one moment to the next. Even the build-up from the back must be perfect, otherwise you immediately pay for the smallest of distractions."

Ancelotti believes the issue goes beyond defensive mistakes and reflects a broader decline in the rhythm and intensity of Serie A compared with Europe’s top competitions. He also pointed to the changing global market, suggesting the league no longer attracts the world’s best players.

"The fundamental difference is in pace, not just the competitive pace of running but also the mental pace, of continuous participation, of intensity that isn't an empty noun and can't be used only in certain phases of the match," he said. "Italian football has lost precisely this.

"Great foreign players no longer come to Italy; abroad, with huge television rights and powerful investors, a more attractive market has emerged. Therefore, Serie A no longer features internationally renowned talents like Falcao, Maradona, Platini, Krol, Rummenigge, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and all the others from a bygone era. Where do young Italians learn from?"

After failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, Italy must now prepare for a daunting Nations League campaign. Gli Azzurri are under immense pressure to show signs of progress before the next qualifying cycle begins, with the squad’s defensive depth under heavy scrutiny. They are scheduled to face Belgium and Turkey in the Nations League group stage in September.