Ancelotti's Son: Mbappé Once Left Us Speechless

The countdown to the World Cup in Mexico, Canada, and the USA has officially begun. A key question on everyone's mind is what Brazil will achieve under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, who will have his son, Davide, as his assistant. Davide, fresh off his stint as Botafogo's coach, recently spoke to "Gazzetta dello Sport's" "Tripletta" podcast. He shared his excitement for the upcoming challenge and his personal ambitions for the future: "A World Cup with my father, and then... I hope to take over a club that truly appeals to me. There are several offers on the table; I'd like to decide before the tournament in June, but we'll see. Would I coach AC Milan like my father? Of course, and I feel prepared for it."

Davide also recalled how, as a child, his father Carlo would time him while he put on his pajamas to foster his competitive spirit: "That was a trick from a great coach. Ultimately, the same approach works with players, who are always highly motivated. I remember, for instance, at Real Madrid, two players – whose names I won't mention – played badminton at four in the morning after returning from an away game because they had promised each other. Or how we had to remove the football-tennis court because the matches were getting too intense."

When it comes to competitive natures, the first name that springs to mind is Cristiano Ronaldo. Davide Ancelotti said of him: "He has a unique work ethic. When he won the Ballon d'Or in 2014, Cristiano allowed himself to toast with champagne. Well, at the very first available training session, he requested an extra session to burn off those calories."

Both Ancelotti senior and Davide have coached and observed players of immense talent. In this regard, he stated: "The opponent who left us speechless was Mbappé when Real Madrid faced PSG in 2022. We looked at each other and said, 'What a player is this?' Impressive."

"The strongest midfielder we've coached was Kroos, but also Modrić, for whom I have a great story: he always played with socks he wore under his Real Madrid ones. One day, at Rayo's stadium, the kit man, who was like a brother to him, forgot to bring them. There was a huge commotion, Luka was furious. Speaking of perfectionists, it's logical that he called us before signing with Milan. Just as Xabi Alonso did before taking over Ancelotti's coaching role at Real Madrid."