As a player, Ancelotti won two European Cups withAC Milan in 1989 and 1990, making him one of seven people to have won the European Cup/Champions League as both a player and a manager. He played as amidfielder and began his career with Italian clubParma, helping the club get promoted toSerie B in the 1978–79 season. He moved toRoma the following season, where he won aSerie A title and fourCoppa Italia titles. He then played for the late 1980s Milan team and won many titles, including twoScudetti and two European Cups. At international level, he had 26 appearances and one goal for theItaly national team. He represented Italy at twoFIFA World Cups and at theUEFA Euro 1988, finishing in third place at the1990 World Cup and being a semi-finalist at the Euro tournament.
In 2009, Ancelotti became the manager ofChelsea and won thedomestic double of thePremier League and theFA Cup in his first season. In 2011, he became the manager ofParis Saint-Germain; thefollowing season, he won their firstLigue 1 title in 19 years and was awarded jointLigue 1 Manager of the Year. Following his success in France, Ancelotti became the manager of Real Madrid. In his first season, he led Real Madrid to theirtenth Champions League title and aCopa del Rey title. Despite winning more trophies with the club and being awarded theMiguel Muñoz Trophy in2014–15 for the best manager in La Liga, Ancelotti was dismissed from Real Madrid in May 2015. He became the manager ofBayern Munich in 2016 and won theBundesliga title in his first season. Following stints atNapoli andEverton between 2018 and 2021, he returned to Real Madrid in the summer of 2021, where he won two La Liga–Champions League doubles in 2022 and 2024. In 2025, he was appointed as coach of a national team for the first time when he took on the position with Brazil.
Ancelotti began his career in 1974 withParma. He made his professional debut inSerie C during the 1976–77 season, at the age of 18. Under managerCesare Maldini, he was often deployed as anattacking midfielder or as asecond striker, due to his eye for goal. Ancelotti excelled in these roles and helped Parma to a second place in the Serie C1 girone A during the 1978–79 season, which qualified the team for the Serie B play-offs. In the decisive match in Vicenza, againstTriestina, with the score tied at 1–1, he scored two goals, which gave Parma a 3–1 victory and sealed their place inSerie B the following season.[14][15][16][17]
After attracting strong interest fromInter Milan, in mid-1979 Ancelotti transferred toRoma, and made his Serie A debut in a 0–0 draw againstAC Milan on 16 September.[14][15][18] Under managerNils Liedholm, he was deployed as a winger or central midfielder and became one of the club's most important players, in a team which featured Brazilian midfieldersFalcão andToninho Cerezo, as well as Italian footballersRoberto Pruzzo,Bruno Conti,Agostino Di Bartolomei andPietro Vierchowod, winning consecutiveCoppa Italia titles in his first two seasons with the club. During his eight seasons in Rome, he won the Coppa Italia a total of four times (1980, 1981, 1984 and 1986). After struggling with knee injuries, and managing second and third-place league finishes in1981 and1982, Ancelotti helped lead the team to win theItalian championship in1983, the club's second league title in their history.[15]
The following season, Ancelotti suffered an injury to his left knee in the quarter-finals of the European Cup againstKV Mechelen, which forced him to miss the semi-finals, although he was able to return in time to help Milan defend their title againstBenfica in thefinal, held inVienna.[15] Following Sacchi's departure, he won a second Serie A title under his replacementFabio Capello during the1991–92 Serie A season, as Milan won the title undefeated, but persistent knee injuries and competition from youngsterDemetrio Albertini limited his playing time, and eventually forced him into premature retirement at the end of the season, at the age of 33. He played the final match of his career with the club in a 4–0 home win overHellas Verona on 17 May 1992, in which he came off the bench in the final 20 minutes of the game and scored two goals, and was given an ovation by the fans.[14][15][17]
Under managerEnzo Bearzot, Ancelotti made hisItaly national team debut and scored his first and only goal on 6 January 1981 in the1980 World Champions' Gold Cup against theNetherlands, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[15][18] He was very likely to be capped for the1982 World Cup campaign, but a dramatic knee injury forced him away for several months, as Italy went on to win the tournament without him.[15][18] He was a part of Italy's squad in the1986 World Cup, but did not make a single appearance, as both he andPaolo Rossi struggled during the team's fitness tests, due to the altitude of the region, and were replaced in the starting line-up byFernando De Napoli andGiuseppe Galderisi, respectively.[21]
Under new Italy managerAzeglio Vicini, he was a key member of the Italy squad that reached the semi-finals ofUEFA Euro 1988, and was also set to represent his nation at theSummer Olympics in Seoul that summer. An injury to the meniscus of his right knee, however, prevented him from taking part in the tournament, where Italy ultimately managed a fourth-place finish.[15] Ancelotti later went on to play in the1990 World Cup on home soil under Vicini at the age of 31, although another injury in the first group match againstAustria once again limited his appearances in the competition to just three, and kept him on the sidelines until the third-place final againstEngland, in which he returned to help Italy to a 2–1 win.[15] Ancelotti made a total of 26 performances for the Italy national side, and announced his retirement from international football in 1991, making his final Italy appearance under Arrigo Sacchi.[15][18][17]
Ancelotti was amidfielder known for his leadership and creativity; he was regarded as one of the best Italian midfielders of his generation.[14][15][16] Although he lacked pace and physicality, he was a talented, hardworking, and tenacious player who had excellent technical ability, tactical intelligence, vision, and passing range; his most notable skill being his powerful and accurate shooting from outside the box. A versatile midfielder, he was capable playing several midfield positions.[15][18][22] He often played as adeep-lying playmaker, as acentral midfielder, or as adefensive midfielder, which allowed him to set the tempo of play after winning back the ball; he was also the mentor and predecessor ofDemetrio Albertini andAndrea Pirlo when he was a playmaker at Milan. Despite his abilities, his playing time was cut short by several injuries, which forced him into retirement in 1992 at the age of 33.[15][22][17][23][24][25]
Ancelotti undertook his coaching studies atCoverciano, where he penned a research article entitled "Il Futuro del Calcio: Più Dinamicità"[26] (English: "The Future of Football: More Dynamism"). After serving as an assistant manager with the Italy national team under his former Milan coachArrigo Sacchi between 1992 and 1995, and reaching the1994 World Cup final,[14][16][18] Ancelotti began his managerial career with Serie B sideReggiana in1995–96 season,[27] where he immediately aided the team in achieving promotion to Serie A;[18] he left after the1995–96 Serie B season,[27] finishing with a record of 17 wins, fourteen draws and ten losses in his only season with the club.[28]
Ancelotti joined Parma the following season,[29] a team which had recently enjoyed several years of domestic and European success under the previous managerNevio Scala, and which contained several promising young players, including future Italy starsGianluigi Buffon andFabio Cannavaro.[30] Ancelotti made his debut in the Coppa Italia in a 3–1 loss toPescara.[31] Ancelotti made several changes at the club, implementing a rigorous Sacchi-inspired4–4–2 formation, and initially deploying creative forwardGianfranco Zola out of position on the left wing in order to accommodateHristo Stoichkov up-front, although both players were later eventually sold by the club after lack of playing time, due to struggling to perform in this system.[32] With the new attacking partnership ofEnrico Chiesa andHernán Crespo, Parma finished second in Serie A during the1996–97 season under Ancelotti, which guaranteed them a place in thenext edition of theUEFA Champions League.[30][33][34]
Thefollowing season, the club had agreed to sign another Italian creative forward,Roberto Baggio, but Ancelotti impeded the transfer as he once again did not feel that a player like Baggio would fit into his tactical plans.[30][32][35] Ancelotti later stated that he regretted this decision, stating that at the time he believed that the 4–4–2 was the ideal formation for success, and that offensive playmakers were not compatible with this system.[36] After suffering a first round elimination in the 1997–98 Champions League, and a semi–final appearance in the Coppa Italia,[37] Ancelotti was only able to guide Parma to a sixth-place finish in Serie A during the 1997–98 season, and was dismissed at the end of the season, despite qualifying the team fornext season'sUEFA Cup.[29][30][38]
In February 1999, Ancelotti was appointed manager ofJuventus, where he both succeeded and precededMarcello Lippi, who returned to the club when Ancelotti left.[39][40] With Juventus, Ancelotti became less rigorous with the team's formation, abandoning his favoured 4–4–2 in order to accommodate French playmakerZinedine Zidane in his preferred free role behind the forwards in the team's starting line-up.[32] Juventus reached the semi-finals of theChampions League during the1998–99 season, losing out to eventual championsManchester United,[41] but finished in seventh place inSerie A, failing to qualify for the Champions League the following season and also losing out toUdinese on aggregate in the UEFA Cup play-offs, meaning they qualified for theIntertoto Cup.[42]
Ancelotti'sfirst full season at Juventus began promisingly, as he immediately won theIntertoto Cup with the club by beatingRennes 4–2 on aggregate,[43] although Juventus suffered a round of 16 elimination in theUEFA Cup, and lost theleague title toLazio by a single point on the final match-day of the season; this was after surrendering a five-point lead with three games remaining, which drew strong criticism from the board of directors.[18][38]
Thefollowing season, Ancelotti went trophyless, suffering a first-round elimination in theChampions League, and finishing runner-up inSerie A yet again, to Roma, and he was dismissed by Juventus.[18][20][44] Ancelotti's dismissal was announced by Juventus at half-time in the final league game of the season at home againstAtalanta, on 17 June 2001, even though they were still within a chance of winning the title; Juventus won the match 2–1, although the result was not enough to prevent them from finishing behind Roma in the league.[38][45] Ancelotti finished his tenure with Juventus with a record of 63 wins, 33 draws and 18 losses.[46]
Ancelotti was appointed Milan manager on 5 November 2001, afterFatih Terim was dismissed due to poor results.[14][16][18][47] He was inheriting another recently trophyless team in Milan, as theRossoneri had floundered domestically and in Europe since their lastScudetto victory in 1999. In the2001–02 season, Ancelotti led Milan to qualify for the Champions League once again, as the team managed a fourth-place finish in Serie A,[48] and also reached semi-finals of theUEFA Cup, their best ever finish in the competition, losing out toBorussia Dortmund,[49][50] and also suffered a semi-final elimination in theCoppa Italia to Juventus.[49]
Thefollowing season, Ancelotti – who was heavily criticised by club owner Silvio Berlusconi due to his supposedly defensive tactics – was able to adopt a creative play in Milan while making several changes to the team's squad. He madeDida, still maligned for his2000–01 Champions League howler againstLeeds United, his new starting goalkeeper barely a month into the season, while converting budding attacking midfielder Andrea Pirlo to a defensive midfielder, playing him behind the number 10 (eitherRui Costa orRivaldo) in front of the team's back-line as a deep-lying playmaker in a4–3–1–2 or4–1–2–1–2 formation.[17][51][52][53] At the same time,Filippo Inzaghi andAndriy Shevchenko proved to be dominant and dynamic strikers, who were prolific in front of goal.[54]
Milan received an eight-point deduction during the2006–07 Serie A season for their role in theCalciopoli scandal,[72] which virtually put the team out of the title race, and instead led Ancelotti to focus on winning theChampions League.[73] On 23 May 2007, Milan avenged their defeat to Liverpool two years earlier with a 2–1 win at theOlympic Stadium in Athens in the2007 Champions League final,[74] leading to Ancelotti's second Champions League trophy as Milan coach and his fourth title overall, having also won it twice as a Milan player in 1989 and 1990.[20] During the 2006–07 season, Milan also finished fourth in Serie A,[75] and lost out to eventual champions Roma in theCoppa Italia semi-final.[76] Thenext season, Ancelotti also won the2007 UEFA Super Cup,[77] as well as the club's first everFIFA Club World Cup in2007, becoming the first manager to do so with a European side.[14] After finishing the league in fifth place,[78] Milan missed out on Champions League qualification,[79] and also suffered round of 16 eliminations in theChampions League[80] andCoppa Italia (toArsenal andCatania respectively).[81]
In Ancelotti'sfinal season at the club, Milan managed a third-place finish inSerie A behind Juventus andcross-city rivals Inter, sealing a place in the next season's Champions League,[82] while they were eliminated in the round of 32 of theUEFA Cup,[80] and the round of 16 of theCoppa Italia.[83] After previously denying rumours that he would be leaving the club, on 31 May 2009 Ancelotti announced his resignation from Milan – less than an hour after their 2–0 victory overFiorentina in the final match of the season.[20][82] In total, Ancelotti led Milan for 423 games; onlyNereo Rocco has been in charge of the club for more matches.[14]
On 9 August 2009, Ancelotti won his first trophy as Chelsea manager, theCommunity Shield, beatingManchester United on penalties, following a 2–2 draw. His firstPremier League game in charge of the Blues ended in a 2–1 home victory overHull City on 15 August.[85] Chelsea lost their first match under Ancelotti at theDW Stadium away toWigan Athletic on 26 September, losing 1–3. They were eliminated from theLeague Cup on 2 December, reaching the quarter-finals stage, after a penalty shootout defeat toBlackburn Rovers after a 3–3 draw atEwood Park.[86]
Ancelotti celebrates Chelsea's firstLeague andCup double with team captainJohn Terry in 2010
In the Champions League, Ancelotti returned to theSan Siro for the first time since his departure from Milan, when his team faced Inter Milan, who was at the time coached by ex-Chelsea manager José Mourinho, at theRound of 16 stage. Ancelotti and Mourinho had a tense relationship from the previous season, as managers of Milan and Inter respectively.[87] Chelsea were eliminated from the Champions League on 16 March 2010 after a 1–3 aggregate loss to Inter, having lost 1–2 away and 0–1 atStamford Bridge.[88][89]
On 9 May 2010, Ancelotti led Chelsea to thePremier League title, beating Manchester United by one point[90] and setting scoring records. The team finished the campaign with 103 goals, becoming the first team in the Premier League to score more than 100 goals in a season, and the first in the English top flight sinceTottenham Hotspur in the1962–63 season.[91] Chelsea secured the title with an 8–0 victory over Wigan at Stamford Bridge.[92] Ancelotti also became the first Italian manager to win the Premier League[93] and only the fifth manager overall in the League's 18 seasons. On 15 May 2010, Ancelotti led Chelsea to its first ever domesticdouble by defeatingPortsmouth 1–0 in theFA Cup final atWembley;[94] this was Chelsea's thirdFA Cup in four years, equalling the record set by Arsenal between 2002 and 2005.[citation needed]
Thefollowing season, after having lost to Manchester United in the2010 FA Community Shield in August, Ancelotti led Chelsea to the top of the table on the first weekend of the season thanks to a 6–0 rout of newly promotedWest Bromwich Albion. Chelsea followed up this result with another 6–0 win, this time over Wigan, whileStoke City were beaten 2–0 in the next match. Chelsea had a good start to the season, winning their first five matches. Chelsea then lost 3–4 againstNewcastle United on 23 September 2010 in the League Cup.[95] They then went on to lose againstManchester City in the Premier League 0–1 after a cleverly taken strike by City captainCarlos Tevez. Chelsea made a good start in Europe by beatingMŠK Žilina andMarseille 4–1 and 2–0, respectively, in the2010–11 UEFA Champions League. Chelsea then defeated fourth-placed Arsenal 2–0 on 3 October 2010, courtesy of a goal fromDidier Drogba and a free-kick by defenderAlex.[96]
Ancelotti with Chelsea in October 2010
Chelsea's next defeat of the season came against Liverpool atAnfield on 7 November 2010, where they lost 0–2 with both goals coming fromFernando Torres. A week later, Chelsea suffered their second Premier League defeat in three matches with a remarkable 0–3 home defeat toSunderland. In their following five league games, they lost two and drew three games, culminating in a 1–3 loss to Arsenal at theEmirates Stadium. On 5 January 2011, Chelsea suffered a shock 0–1 defeat at strugglingWolverhampton Wanderers, leaving them fifth in the league and in real danger of missing out on a Champions League place for the first time since 2002.[97] This result led to Ancelotti ruling out Chelsea's chances of retaining the title, insisting that he did not fear that he would be dismissed.[98] After this match, however, Chelsea's form began to improve. First with a 7–0 thrashing ofIpswich Town in the FA Cup at Stamford Bridge, and then a 2–0 victory over Blackburn, followed by emphatic away wins againstBolton Wanderers and Sunderland, putting them in fourth position in the league, though still ten points behind leaders Manchester United.[citation needed]
On 31 January 2011, Chelsea signed Liverpool striker Fernando Torres for athen-British record fee of £50 million, and Benfica defenderDavid Luiz for £22 million. Chelsea lost 0–1 to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge but beat league leaders Manchester United on 1 March in a 2–1 comeback win that saw David Luiz net his first goal for Chelsea, which was followed by a 3–1 win away toBlackpool. Chelsea were later defeated by Manchester United at home and away (aggregate of 1–3) in the Champions Leaguequarter-finals.[99]
Following their defeat in the Champions League, Chelsea made a remarkable comeback in the league, defeating Wigan 1–0 at home, West Brom 3–1 away,Birmingham City 3–1,West Ham United 3–0 and Tottenham 2–1 at home. Chelsea, who at one point were fifth and 15 points behind leaders Manchester United, vaulted into the second position the league, just three points behind them with three games left of the season.[citation needed] On 8 May, Chelsea lost 1–2 against Manchester United at Old Trafford to stay second in the league, now six points behind the leaders with just two more games to play.[100]
Ancelotti was dismissed less than two hours after a 0–1 away defeat againstEverton on 22 May 2011, Chelsea's last Premier League match of the season.[101] They had finished the2010–11 Premier League in second place.[102] He reportedly received a severance payment of £6 million from Chelsea.[103] Ancelotti finished with a record of 67 wins, 20 draws and 22 losses in 109 matches.[104] Ancelotti's win percentage at Chelsea was (as of May 2016) the third-highest in Premier League history, behind only José Mourinho andAlex Ferguson.[105]
On 30 December 2011, withParis Saint-Germain at the top of theLigue 1 with three points down toMontpellier, Ancelotti was appointed as the newmanager of the club on the same day as their previous manager,Antoine Kombouaré, was released from his contract.[106] On 21 March 2012, Ancelotti experienced his first defeat in charge of PSG as the club fell to a 1–3 defeat at the hands ofLyon in aCoupe de Francequarter-final match.[107] Ten days later, PSG suffered their firstLigue 1 defeat under Ancelotti when they lost 1–2 away toNancy.[108] PSG ended up as runners-up in Ligue 1 in Ancelotti'sfirst season in charge, three points behind winners Montpellier.[109] He also took PSG to theCoupe de France quarter-finals.[110] The club were eliminated from theCoupe de la Ligue andUEFA Europa League prior to Ancelotti's appointment.[110]
During Ancelotti's first full season at the club, PSG entered the winter break at the top of theLigue 1 table, ahead of Lyon and Marseille on goal difference. They clinched the Ligue 1 title on 12 May 2013, with two matches to spare.[111][112][113] The club reached the quarter-finals of theChampions League, where they lost to Barcelona on theaway goals rule (3–3 on aggregate), the quarter-finals of theCoupe de France and the quarter-finals of theCoupe de la Ligue.[114] On 19 May 2013, Ancelotti asked to leave the club, in order to join Real Madrid.[115]
On 25 June 2013, Ancelotti became the manager of Real Madrid, replacing the departingJosé Mourinho, and signing a three-year contract.[116][117] He was introduced at a press conference at theSantiago Bernabéu, where it was also announced that Zinedine Zidane andPaul Clement would be his assistant coaches. Shortly following his arrival, Real Madrid confirmed the signing ofIsco for a fee of €24 million, which was followed by the signing ofAsier Illarramendi for €32 million. Argentinean strikerGonzalo Higuaín left the club for €40 million toNapoli. This, along with the sale ofMesut Özil to Arsenal, paved the way forGareth Bale's signing from Tottenham Hotspur for then-world record fee of £86 million (€105M).[118] In Ancelotti's first league game in charge, on 18 August 2013, Real Madrid started theseason by winning 2–1 at home againstReal Betis.[119] Ancelotti eventually deviated from the4–2–3–1 formation that had been deployed by his predecessor José Mourinho, switching instead to a4–3–3 formation to great effect, in which Argentine wingerÁngel Di María particularly excelled as a left-sided central midfielder, and played a key role in the club's successes.[120]
On 16 April 2014, Ancelotti won his first major trophy as Real Madrid manager after they defeated Barcelona 2–1 in theCopa del Reyfinal held at theMestalla Stadium.[121] On 29 April, Real Madrid defeatedBayern Munich in the semi-finals of theChampions League by an aggregate score of 5–0 (1–0 inMadrid and 0–4 inMunich), withLos Blancos reaching their first final since they last won the competition in2002.[122] Madrid finished third in theLa Liga, accumulating 87 points in total (level with Barcelona, losing out on the second place on a tie-breaker, and three behind championsAtlético Madrid).[123] On 24 May, Real Madrid won their tenth Champions League trophy, after defeating recently crowned rivals Atlético Madrid in thefinal 4–1 after extra time.[124] Ancelotti became only the second manager after Liverpool'sBob Paisley to win the competition on three occasions, and the first man to win the Champions League/European Cup twice as a player and three times as a manager to this day.[125]
On 12 August, Ancelotti started thenew season by winning another European trophy, leading Real Madrid to a 2–0 victory overSevilla in the2014 UEFA Super Cup. In the last four months of 2014, his team set a Spanish record of 22 consecutive victories in all competitions that began on 16 September and culminated with Real Madrid's firstFIFA Club World Cup title in December 2014, finishing the year with four trophies.[126] On 1 December 2014, Ancelotti was nominated as one of the three finalists for the2014 FIFA World Coach of the Year Award.[127] On 19 January 2015, Ancelotti was inducted into theItalian Football Hall of Fame[128] and on 20 January 2015, he won theIFFHS 2014 Award as The World's Best Club Coach.[129] Real Madrid finished the2014–15 season in second place with 92 points, two off treble-winning Barcelona, and scoring a record 118 goals in the process.[130] They were eliminated in the round of 16 of theCopa del Rey by Atlético Madrid, whom they faced eight times throughout the season (including the UCL quarter-finals),[131] and lost 3–2 on aggregate to Juventus in theChampions League semi-finals.[132] On 25 May 2015, Real Madrid presidentFlorentino Pérez announced that the club's board had taken "a very difficult decision" to relieve Ancelotti of his duties with immediate effect. Pérez stated that Ancelotti had won the hearts of both the board and fans, and would always have a place in the club's history because he was the coach that led them to theDécima. "However at this club the demands are huge and we need a new impulse in order to win trophies and be at our best," he added.[133][134][135]
After leaving Madrid, Ancelotti held talks about a return to Milan, which he rejected, saying: "It was hard to say no to such a beloved club to me, but I need some rest. I wish them the best". He stated that he wanted to take a year off and undergo an operation for hisspinal stenosis.[136] He later relocated toVancouver, Canada.[137]
On 20 December 2015, Bayern Munich CEOKarl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed that Ancelotti would replacePep Guardiola as manager for the2016–17 season, signing a three-year contract.[138] His contract started on 1 July 2016.[139] His first training session was on 11 July 2016,[140] and his first match was a pre–season win againstSV Lippstadt.[141] His first match atAllianz Arena was a 1–0 pre–season win over his predecessor Guardiola's Manchester City.[142] Bayern participated in theInternational Champions Cup.[143] In the first match, Bayern lost to Milan in a shootout.[144] In the second match, Bayern defeated Inter Milan.[145] In the final match, Bayern lost to Real Madrid.[146]
On 14 August 2016, Bayern defeated Borussia Dortmund 2–0 in the2016 DFL-Supercup.[147] This was his first trophy as Bayern's manager.[148] On 26 August 2016, in his Bundesliga debut, Bayern defeatedWerder Bremen 6–0.[149] In addition to defeating Borussia Dortmund,[148]Carl Zeiss Jena[150] and Werder Bremen,[149] they defeatedSchalke 04,[151]Rostov,[151]Ingolstadt 04,[151]Hertha BSC[151] andHamburger SV[151] to win his first eight matches as head coach, before losing to Atlético Madrid.[152] They continued their winless streak againstFC Köln andEintracht Frankfurt, before beatingPSV.[151] After the win against Eindhoven, Bayern went on a three match winless streak.[151] Bayern drew against1899 Hoffenheim and lost against Borussia Dortmund and Rostov, before defeatingBayer Leverkusen.[151] On 29 April, Ancelotti led Bayern to their fifth consecutiveBundesliga title and their 27th overall, following a 6–0 away win overVfL Wolfsburg.[153] However, Bayern were eliminated in the Champions League in a quarter-final clash against Ancelotti's former team Real Madrid.[154] They also lost 3–2 to Borussia Dortmund in the DFB-Pokal semi-finals.[155]
On 5 August 2017, Ancelotti started the2017–18 season with Bayern Munich by retaining theDFL-Supercup, beating out Borussia Dortmund 5–4 onpenalties, following a 2–2 draw after 90 minutes; this was the sixth time that Bayern had managed to win the title.[156] However, on 28 September 2017, Ancelotti was dismissed as manager of Bayern Munich, following a 3–0 away loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the club's second group match of the2017–18 Champions League the night before.[157] After the Paris Saint-Germain match, reports surfaced that Ancelotti had lost the dressing room. It was reported that five senior players wanted Ancelotti out as manager, which Bayern's presidentUli Hoeneß later confirmed.[158] Questions were also raised about Ancelotti's tactical setup and team selection against Paris Saint-Germain, when he left several key players on the bench, and one was left to watch the match from the stands.[159]
On 23 May 2018, Ancelotti was appointed as head coach of Napoli, signing a three-year contract, replacingMaurizio Sarri in the role.[160][161] On 19 August, he made his return to the Serie A, winning his first match as manager with a 2–1 away victory over Lazio.[162] Napoli suffered a first round elimination in theChampions League, the first time since 2000 that Ancelotti failed to advance from this stage of the competition.[163] Napoli eventually finished the2018–19 Serie A season in second place, twelve points behind champions Juventus,[164] and reached the quarter-finals of theEuropa League, losing out toArsenal.[165]
On 10 December 2019, Ancelotti was dismissed, despite a 4–0 home win againstGenk in their final2019–20 UEFA Champions League match of the group stage that ensured Napoli's advancement to the round of 16; the club were in joint–seventh place inSerie A, alongside Parma, at the time, and had not won a league game in seven matches.[166] The decision came after a summit with Napoli presidentAurelio De Laurentiis that had followed the match that was originally scheduled for 11 December.[167]
On 21 December 2019, Ancelotti was appointed as manager of Everton on a four-and-a-half-year contract.[168] His first match in charge was a 1–0 home victory overBurnley on 26 December.[169] On 1 March 2020, Ancelotti was sent off after the full-time whistle, following an on-pitch conversation with refereeChris Kavanagh, who had ruled out a would-be late match-winning goal against Manchester United, due to an offside that was determined byVAR.[170] He was charged with misconduct bythe FA the following day.[171] Ancelotti went on to record a total of eight wins, five draws and six losses in the league in his first season with the Blues, as Everton finished in 12th place.[172]
During the close-season, Ancelotti signed his former playersJames Rodríguez andAllan, along withBen Godfrey,Abdoulaye Doucouré,Niels Nkounkou and loaneeRobin Olsen.[173] Everton started the 2020–21 season with seven consecutive wins in all competitions,[174] and Ancelotti was named September'sPremier League Manager of the Month.[175] After a drop in form, a resumption of good results saw Everton end 2020 in fourth place, but knocked out of the EFL Cup, losing 2–0 to Manchester United in the quarter-final.[176] Results for the remainder of the season were mixed, and Everton finished the season in 10th place.[177]
On 1 June 2021, Ancelotti resigned from his position at Everton to rejoin Real Madrid, following Zidane's resignation, signing a contract until 2024.[178] On 19 September 2021, Ancelotti reached the milestone of 800 league matches with clubs from thetop five European leagues.[179] On the domestic front, he delivered two trophies out of a possible three, winningLa Liga and theSupercopa de España.[180][181][182] Thus, Ancelotti won all six available top trophies at Madrid,[183] in addition to becoming the first manager to win all of Europe's top five leagues.[184] Real Madrid's 5–4 aggregate win over defending champions Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals saw him become the first manager to reach the Champions League semi-finals in four different decades (the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020s).[185] In theChampions League final against Liverpool, Ancelotti's record fifth in the competition, a loneVinícius goal sealed the 14th European Cup forLos Blancos, and Ancelotti's second in charge. Real also claimed their fourth everEuropean double.[186][187][188] With this win, Ancelotti became the first manager in history to win four Champions League titles.[189] Ancelotti placed second in the2022Best FIFA Men's Coach award, behind winnerLionel Scaloni.[190][191]
At the start of the2022–23 season, Ancelotti guided his club to aUEFA Super Cup victory, hiseighth trophy at Madrid.[192] On 2 November 2022, he broke Ferguson's record for most victories in the Champions League, after a 5–1 win overCeltic in the first round, which was his 103rd victory in the competition; the result also allowed Real Madrid to top their group and advance to the round of 16.[193][194] On 11 February 2023, Ancelotti guided them to a fifthFIFA Club World Cup trophy, as Real Madrid beatAl Hilal 5–3 in the final.[195] Real Madrid finished the season second to Barcelona inLa Liga,[196] and were also defeated by eventual champions Manchester City in theChampions League semi-finals 5–1 on aggregate,[197] but beatOsasuna2–1 to win the2022–23 Copa del Rey.[198] In the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals, a 4–0 away defeat against Manchester City on 7 May, Ancelotti overtook Ferguson as the manager with the most appearances as a manager in the Champions League (191).[199][200][201]
Managing to win all three opening matches of Madrid's2023–24 league campaign, he was named La Liga's Coach of the Month in August.[202] With his team's 2–1 victory overReal Sociedad on 17 September 2023, Ancelotti got his 173rd Madrid win, overtaking Zinedine Zidane to become the coach with the second most wins in the club's history.[203] On 29 December, although he had previously been linked with the position of head coach for theBrazil national football team, Real Madrid announced that Ancelotti had agreed to a contract extension until 30 June 2026.[204][205][206]
In the first leg of the2023–24 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals – a 3–3 home draw against defending champions Manchester City on 9 April 2024, Ancelotti became the first manager to make 200 appearances in the competition.[207][208] In the second leg on 17 April, Real Madrid overcame Manchester City 4–3 on penalties to advance to the semi-finals of the competition, following a 4–4 draw on aggregate;[209] the result meant that Ancelotti equalled Pep Guardiola's record of reaching the Champions League semi-finals on ten different occasions as a manager.[210] Following rivals Barcelona's 4–2 defeat toGirona on 4 May, Ancelotti's Real Madrid clinched theleague title mathematically; Real Madrid had defeatedCadíz 3–0 the previous day.[211] With his twelfth title for the club overall, he overtook Zidane as the manager with the second–most title victories with Real Madrid, behind onlyMiguel Muñoz (14).[212] In the second leg of the Champions League semi-finals on 9 May, Real Madrid made a late comeback to achieve a 2–1 home win over Bayern Munich and advance to the2024 UEFA Champions League final 4–3 on aggregate, against Borussia Dortmund atWembley, Ancelotti's record sixth final in the competition.[213] On 1 June, Real Madrid defeated Borussia Dortmund 2–0 to win their 15th Champions League's trophy, and Ancelotti's fifth title.[214] Two months later, on 14 August, he achieved his record fifthUEFA Super Cup trophy with a 2–0 victory overAtalanta,[215] becoming the joint most decorated coach in the club's history along with Miguel Muñoz with 14 titles.[216] Later that year, on 18 December, he clinched his record-breaking 15th title with the club following a 3–0 victory overPachuca in theFIFA Intercontinental Cup final.[217]
In the 2024–25 season, Ancelotti led Real Madrid through a series of high-profile matches in both domestic and European competitions. In the quarter-finals, Real Madrid faced Arsenal. The first leg at the Emirates Stadium saw Arsenal secure a 3–0 victory, putting Madrid at a significant disadvantage.[218] In the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu, Arsenal won 2–1, resulting in a 5–1 aggregate defeat for Real Madrid and ending their Champions League campaign.[219]
Domestically, Ancelotti's Real Madrid faced Barcelona in multiple competitions. In the Supercopa de España final on 12 January 2025, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 5–2, withRaphinha scoring twice for the Catalan side.[220] On 26 April 2025, the two teams met in the Copa del Rey final, where Barcelona emerged victorious with a 3–2 win after extra time, courtesy of a late goal by Jules Koundé.[221] In La Liga, the El Clásico on 11 May 2025 ended in a 4–3 defeat for Real Madrid, despite a hat-trick from Kylian Mbappé, effectively ending their title hopes, with Barcelona going on to win the league on 15 May.[222][223]
On 23 May 2025, Real Madrid officially announced that Ancelotti would leave the club at the end of the season.[224] He was replaced by former playerXabi Alonso, whom he had managed at Madrid and Bayern Munich.[225]
On 12 May 2025, theBrazilian Football Confederation appointed Ancelotti as the new manager of theBrazil national team.[226] Ancelotti is to receive a salary of 10 million euros and a 5 million euro bonus if he wins the World Cup.[227] He signed a one-year deal and officially took over on 26 May.[228] Brazil is Ancelotti's first international experience as a full-time coach; he was an assistant toItaly coachArrigo Sacchi at the 1994 World Cup.[229] On 26 May, he made his first call-up by naming a 25-man squad for the2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches againstEcuador andParaguay.[230] He made his debut on 5 June, in a goalless draw against Ecuador, and his first win against Paraguay on 10 June which lead to their qualification spot for the2026 FIFA World Cup.[231]
Ancelotti coaching his players from the technical area in 2012
Toward the beginning of his coaching career, and during his time withParma, Ancelotti preferred to use a rigorous 4–4–2 formation, which made use of heavy pressing, and drew influence from that of hisAC Milan andItaly coachArrigo Sacchi, and which he believed to be the most successful system for his team; however, this system did not allow for more creative forwards, such asGianfranco Zola,Hristo Stoichkov andRoberto Baggio, to play in their preferred positions, and ultimately led to Zola and Stoichkov's departure from the club, while Baggio's transfer to Parma in 1997 was impeded by Ancelotti. Ancelotti later stated that he regretted his intransigence, and when he joinedJuventus, he abandoned his favoured 4–4–2 in favour of a 3–4–1–2 system, in order to accommodateZinedine Zidane in his preferred advanced playmaking role behind the forwards.[17][232][30][36][32][35][233] In addition to Sacchi, Ancelotti has also cited his formerRoma managerNils Liedholm, and his youth coachBruno Mora as major influences.[234][235][236] The positive leadership style of his Roma managerSven-Göran Eriksson also inspired Ancelotti's own coaching style.[237]
"I said, 'No, you have to play striker.' Baggio went to another club. That year Baggio scored 25 [actually 22] goals – for Bologna! I lost 25 goals! Big mistake."
Despite Ancelotti's initial reputation as a tactically inflexible coach, with Milan, he later drew praise for his ability to find systems which would best suit his players, and which allowed several talented and creative players to co-exist; under Ancelotti's management, the club enjoyed one of the most fruitful spells in its history. Ancelotti's Milan sides almost always used a strong four-man back-line, a main striker and an attacking midfielder. In his first seasons with the club, although he was initially criticised by the club's presidentSilvio Berlusconi, due to his supposedly defensive tactics, Ancelotti was able to implement a more creative playing style based on possession when he notably adopted a 4–3–1–2, 4–1–2–1–2 or 4–4–2 diamond formation. While still preserving the team's strong defensive line, he converted attacking midfielderAndrea Pirlo to a deep-lying playmaker, which saw him play in a seemingly defensive midfield role in front of the back-line, and behind the team's advanced playmaker, eitherRui Costa orRivaldo, giving the Italian more time on the ball to orchestrate the team's attacking moves from deeper areas, or to create goalscoring opportunities for the team's prolific strikers with his accurate long passing ability; the team's two playmakers were supported defensively by box-to-box midfielders on either side of them in the midfield diamond. Due to competition fromAlessandro Nesta,Paolo Maldini,Roque Júnior,Dario Šimić, and laterJaap Stam in defence, he also converted former centre-backAlessandro Costacurta to a defensive left-back, alternating him withKakha Kaladze orGiuseppe Pancaro, while, due to the club's narrow midfield, the club's attacking right-back,Cafu, was given licence to attack and provide width to the team; due to Cafu's offensive capabilities, Ancelotti occasionally fielded a4–4–1–1 or3–4–1–2 formation, which saw Cafu used as an outright winger, along withSerginho orMarek Jankulovski on the left.[17][51][52][53][54][233][234][239][240][241][242][243][244][245][excessive citations]
After the departure of one of the club's main strikers at the beginning of the 2006–07 season,Andriy Shevchenko, Ancelotti redesigned Milan's line-up, devising a 4–3–2–1 system, later known as his "Christmas Tree" formation. Milan's line-up used eitherFilippo Inzaghi orAlberto Gilardino as a lone striker, supported by two attacking midfielders,Clarence Seedorf andKaká, in front of a three-man midfield which once again featured Andrea Pirlo as a deep-lying playmaker, supported by two hard-working defensive midfielders, such asGennaro Gattuso,Massimo Ambrosini, orCristian Brocchi.[17][71]
Moving to Chelsea, in the2009–10 season Ancelotti continued with the 4–4–2 diamond formation used previously at Milan, often withMichael Essien orMikel John Obi in the defensive role,Michael Ballack orFrank Lampard as box to box midfielders andDeco in a creative role, with full-backsAshley Cole andJosé Bosingwa pushing forward and providing width to the narrow midfield. Later in the season theAfrica Cup of Nations left Chelsea without strikersSalomon Kalou orDidier Drogba (as well as midfielders Essien and Mikel) and harder to play with a 4–4–2, so Ancelotti switched to the 4–3–2–1 "Christmas Tree" formation he had also used at Milan, usingJoe Cole andFlorent Malouda to support lone strikerNicolas Anelka. He also used the 4–2–3–1 and 4–3–3 to be less predictable and better use creative players like Lampard and Malouda.[246][247][248]
AtReal Madrid, Ancelotti similarly drew praise for his versatility; he modified the team's 4–2–3–1 formation, which had been used underJosé Mourinho, to a 4–4–2 formation, before settling on a 4–3–3 formation, in which Argentine former wingerÁngel Di María was converted to a left-sided central midfielder, whileCristiano Ronaldo was played in his preferred free role on the left wing rather than as a striker, as Ancelotti had initially intended. Di María particularly excelled in this new role and played a key role in the club's successes.[120][249][250][251] Ancelotti later explained that his use of Ronaldo in a free role on the left flank was due to the fact that the winger's style of play was less suited to a playing with his back to goal as a centre-forward; the wider role instead allowed him space to roam freely around the attack.[252] StrikerKarim Benzema was instead tasked with acting as a false 9 in the centre, whileGareth Bale played as an inverted winger on the opposite flank to Ronaldo.[251] Although he initially sought to use an offensive-minded possession–based style, he instead adopted a quick counter-attacking style, as he noticed that his players were more suited to attacking in that manner.[253]
In addition to Ancelotti's tactical prowess and adaptability, he has also drawn praise for his kindness, good humour, and his calm, balanced approach as a manager, as well as his ability to motivate his players and cultivate a good relationship with them, and foster a united, winning team environment, although he has also been known to lose his temper at times.[17][234][249][250][254][255][256] During Ancelotti's first season withBayern Munich, Spanish midfielderThiago praised Ancelotti for the freedom he gave the players to express themselves and for the confidence with which he instilled them; Ancelotti commented on the tactical changes he implemented at Bayern Munich, stating "[t]he main change is we press a bit more intermittently and we try to play more directly, more vertically," also adding that "if you're organised even an ordinary player can do very well because he'll have options and he'll know where they are and how to find them. But when you get to the final third, everything changes. That's where you need creativity and freedom because without it you only have sterile possession. Especially if your opponent's defence is organised and has been paying attention".[233][257]
"The most important role is never that of the coach. I am very clear that there are two types of coaches: those who do nothing and those who do a lot of damage. I try to be in the first group. The game belongs to the players and you can tell them a certain strategy, convince them, but then the determining factor is their quality and commitment. A coach has to focus on making the group understand the importance of teamwork."
—Ancelotti highlighting the importance of player management skills over tactics as a coach ahead of Real Madrid's first leg match of the2023–24 UEFA Champions League semi-finals against Bayern Munich.[258]
During Ancelotti's second spell at Real Madrid, although he implemented a more simple but effective counter–attacking style with the team, Ancelotti once again earned praise in the media for his balanced approach, adaptability, and man–management abilities during the club's run to a Liga–Champions League double; his ability to develop a strong relationship with his players and his willingness to consult them on tactical decisions were singled out by several pundits in particular as reasons for the team's success and unity. Regarding this aspect of his coaching philosophy, he commented in 2022: "I think that the methodology of training in football has changed a lot in the last 20 years. So I've had to be ready to change my style and my idea of football, because the rules have changed. It's a completely different sport. But what hasn't changed is my relationship with the players. That's the same." In contrast to his first spell in the Spanish capital, Benzema was now given a free attacking role, becoming the focal point of the team's offensive line; this new role enabled the striker to be extremely prolific, which was a key component to the team's success.[251][259][260][261]
In an episode ofUniverso Valdano in 2022, Ancelotti commented on his coaching style in the latter part of his career: "I am not an obsessive person. I like football a lot, it's a passion of mine, but I try to keep things as simple as possible. Football for me isn't complicated." He also said that he preferred to instruct his players on the defensive part of the game – as it requires more organisation – rather than the attacking aspect of the game, so as not to stifle their creativity going forward.[262] He later also commented on his style in 2023 in comparison to other managers: "The mistakes that the new generation of coaches make is that they give too much information to the players about the game in possession. I'm old school and I think this takes a bit of creativity away. It's one thing to tell them the position without the ball, where you have to work hard and play as a team, but in possession, if they're comfortable when they come a bit wider, I'm not going to tell them to go inside. It's an individual interpretation of the game with the ball and I don't want to take away each player's creativity."[263] However, he later dismissed criticism that he was an "old–school" manager, citing his longevity and success as evidence of his adaptability.[264]
In an interview withThe Times, in the lead-up to the2024 Champions League final, Ancelotti commented on the limits of teams having "only one identity," also adding that his "style" was "not recognised" because he changed. He said that againstRoberto De Zerbi'sShakhtar Donetsk, en route to his last Champions League title, he instructed his players not to press them, so that they would not play through the team. He similarly demonstrated that his team defended in a low block againstManchester City in the knock-out stages, as he saw that as the most effective way to defeat them, but that normally his side are more offensive. He elaborated that during the current season he used a4–3–1–2 without a genuine forward, in order to compensate for the departure of striker Benzema.Jude Bellingham served as a goalscoring attacking midfielder, with additional creative and defensive responsibilities, acting almost as afalse-9 or second striker at times, and playing behindVinícius Júnior andRodrygo – normally wingers – upfront in free roles. Bellingham flourished in this position, with Ancelotti earning praise from Ben Grounds ofSky Sports for fielding him in this new role. While Vinícius and Rodrygo were still given the freedom to move out wide in attack, Ancelotti also focused on developing their ability to play more effectively in central areas. He also used a 4–4–2 formation at times throughout the season.[265][266][267][268][269] Despite injuries to three of his team's key players –Thibaut Courtois,David Alaba andÉder Militão – Real Madrid won another Liga–Champions League double that season, with Ancelotti noting that "attitude and commitment" were "the key to overcoming all the problems" the club had faced.[270][271]
NicknamedDon Carlo by the Spanish media,[272] andRe Carlo in the Italian press ("King Charles" in Italian),[273] Ancelotti is regarded as one of the greatest and most successful managers of all time, and has drawn praise in the press for his longevity as well as his record–breaking achievements.[6][7][8][260] Despite becoming the first manager to win the league title in the top five European football leagues,[10] Ancelotti's domestic record, and his lack of numerous league titles in comparison to his record-breaking success in European club competitions,[189][274] has occasionally been criticised in the media. In 2015, Miguel Delaney ofESPN concluded that Ancelotti's more relaxed management style is more suited to winning cup competitions that are "far more open to blind luck and all the one-off nuances," in contrast to autocratic managers likePep Guardiola,Sir Alex Ferguson, and José Mourinho, who have amassed better domestic records and more league championships. Ancelotti himself has also referenced this discrepancy in the title of his autobiography, which translates to "I prefer Cups".[275]
Ancelotti's 2024–25 season was notably marked by four consecutive defeats toBarcelona underHansi Flick, across La Liga, the2024 Supercopa de España final, the Copa del Rey final, and a late-season league encounter. The matches exposed structural weaknesses in Ancelotti's typically balanced 4–3–3 system, particularly when facing high-intensity pressing and rapid wide transitions.[276] Flick's Barcelona consistently targeted the space behind Madrid's advancing full-backs, using wide overloads and fast switches of play to isolate Real's defenders. Ancelotti's midfield trio often struggled to cope with the verticality of Barcelona's attacking patterns, particularly when pressed into transitional moments.[277] DespiteKylian Mbappé's individual brilliance in the final La Liga match—scoring a hat-trick—Madrid's defensive line was repeatedly caught high and exposed by diagonal runs fromLamine Yamal andRaphinha.[222] The sequence of defeats sparked criticism of Ancelotti's reluctance to adapt tactically, with analysts noting his adherence to familiar patterns even as Barcelona's pressing traps and wide combinations consistently unbalanced his team.[278] The four defeats were viewed as a rare blemish on Ancelotti's otherwise pragmatic and adaptive managerial reputation.
Ancelotti has two children: a daughter, and a son,Davide, who was his assistant coach at Everton and Real Madrid. Davide previously also played in the Milan youth team and joinedBorgomanero in June 2008.[279] In 2008, Ancelotti confirmed in an interview that he had broken up with his wife of 25 years, Luisa Gibellini.[279][280] He subsequently dated Romanian Marina Crețu. In 2011, it was announced he was dating Canadian businesswoman Mariann Barrena McClay. Ancelotti and Barrena McClay married in Vancouver in July 2014.[281] Ancelotti identifies asCatholic.[282]
In May 2009, Ancelotti's autobiography,Preferisco la Coppa ("I Prefer the Cup", with a word-play by Ancelotti on the Italian word "coppa" that stands both for "cup" and a type ofcured cold pork meat cut, which is produced in Ancelotti's native region ofEmilia-Romagna), was published, with all proceeds from sales of the book going to the FondazioneStefano Borgonovo for the funding of research onamyotrophic lateral sclerosis.[274] In his last season withChelsea, Ancelotti traveled back to Italy on a regular basis to visit his 87-year-old father who was in poor health with diabetes and other issues. On the issue, he said: "I don't have a problem managing the team for this reason. It's difficult, emotionally, when it's your father... but this is life. I have to do my best to stay close to him, but this is the life."[283] His father died on 29 September 2010, aged 87.[284]
On 31 January 2019, Ancelotti became the grandfather of twins, born to his son Davide's wife Ana Galocha.[285] He is aRoman Catholic.[286] In February 2021, Ancelotti's home inCrosby was burgled and a safe stolen by two male offenders wearing black clothing and balaclavas.[287] The safe was later found dumped in a car park in nearbyThornton. It had been forced open and stripped of its contents.[288] Ancelotti is among the 13 sports personalities mentioned in thePandora Papers published by theInternational Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ).[289] On 11 October 2023, he received an honorary doctorate from theUniversity of Parma, following his research in "Sciences and Techniques of Preventive and Adapted Motor Activities".[290]
On 2 April 2025, Ancelotti stood trial for alleged tax evasion where he testified in a Spanish court, insisting he believed his tax affairs were in order amid allegations that he failed to pay €1 million ($1.08 million) in taxes on image rights revenue.[291] On 9 July, Ancelotti was sentenced to a year in prison and received a fine of €386,361.93. However, under Spanish law, as any sentence under two years for a non-violent crime rarely requires a defendant without previous convictions to be imprisoned, Ancelotti was spared incarceration.[292]
^"Comunicato Ufficiale N. 37" [Official Press Release No. 37](PDF). Lega Serie A. 17 September 2019. p. 6. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 15 January 2021. Retrieved6 December 2020.
^Lo Presti, Salvatore; Maradei, Lodovico (10 November 2000)."Juve senza Europa e senza pace".La Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian). Retrieved14 May 2024.
^ab"Juventus Turin".Kicker (in German). Olympia-Verlag. Retrieved13 June 2016.
Alessandro Alciato, Carlo Ancelotti,Preferisco la coppa. Vita, partite e miracoli di un normale fuoriclasse, Milan, Rizzoli, 2009,ISBN88-17032-00-X (I Prefer the Cup. The Life, Games, and Miracles of an Ordinary Genius).(in Italian)
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