Ancelotti: The World Cup Isn't Won in the First Match

Brazil's national team coach, Carlo Ancelotti, commented on the 1-1 draw against Morocco in their opening World Cup match.

“I think we started the game poorly. The team was a bit tense, we lost a lot of duels. The first half didn't go well. We improved in the second half. It was a tough match because Morocco is a very good team,” stated the Italian tactician.

“Yes, I think there was some excitement. In the first half, they easily broke our press and launched dangerous counter-attacks. We could have controlled the game better. But I'm satisfied with the result. Of course, we wanted to start the tournament stronger, but these things happen because Morocco is a strong opponent. Now we need to focus on the next match,” he added.

“We cannot lose confidence. Anything can happen in the first World Cup match. It's impossible to be perfect in the opening game of a tournament. The result isn't bad, but we need to improve,” Ancelotti emphasized.

“The World Cup isn't won in the first match. The team fought until the last minute. I understand very well what we need to work on. What worked well in the two friendly matches didn't work in the first half today. We need to keep working to make the team more balanced and aggressive in attack.”

Asked if this result could affect the team's confidence, Ancelotti responded emphatically: “Absolutely not. It must be understood that the debut match in a tournament, for many reasons, might not go as we'd like. But we must move forward and prepare well for the next game. Our goal is to get out of the group and get stronger as the tournament progresses.”