EXCLUSIVE — Clarence Seedorf has backed Carlo Ancelotti to succeed in his upcoming job with Brazil, while hailing the manager as the best of his career.
Ancelotti is reportedly set to take charge of the Brazilian national team at the end of his Real Madrid contract, which expires in the summer of 2024.
That would leave the 64-year-old overseeing a Copa America campaign in the US, with the Selecao aiming to lift the trophy for the 10th time and regain it after being dethroned by fierce rivals Argentina in the final last time around.
Two years later, he would then return to the US, along with Canada and Mexico, to lead a World Cup charge. The five-time champions will be trying to end a 24-year drought, with just one semi-final coming in that period.
A move to Brazil would bring the curtain down on Ancelotti's wildly successful time with the biggest club side on the planet, in Madrid, which has come across two spells.
He brought the Champions League back to Spain with the coveted 'Decima' (10th title) in 2013/14, and equally delivered one European trophy during his current stint, in 2021/22.
In addition, he's lifted La Liga and the Supercopa de Espana once, the Copa del Rey twice, Club World Cup twice, UEFA Super Cup twice, and unlocked the very best from a whole host of superstar talents — from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in the second era of the 'Galacticos', to Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo in the new-look younger crop, as well as Karim Benzema across both stints.
MORE: Seedorf on partnership with "crazy football fan" Khabib
The middle pair, who have both spoken of their love for Ancelotti's coaching style, now look set to continue working under him at international level. On that, Seedorf told The Sporting News: "I consider Brazil still the biggest producer of talent when it comes to football.
"I think Africa is knocking on the door, but still needs a little bit more. It's amazing how many talents [from Brazil] are at the biggest clubs in Europe. His way of managing will fit very well with the Brazilian mentality.
"I hope he will be able to adapt to that culture. He's Italian, so the Italian part of living in a certain way for the game is different to the Brazilian — but that might be what the Brazilian team needs to come back and perform better than they've done lately.
"Ancelotti doesn't have to prove himself at all anymore. Coaching a national team and coaching every day is a big difference. But coaching a national team and coaching the Brazilian national team is also a very big difference!"
As the midfield icon — who is currently looking into youth production himself, setting up the SK Performance Club soccer school in Canada — alludes to, Ancelotti is renowned for his laid-back attitude with huge egos.
A far cry from many of the ultra-intense modern coaches, such as Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp, man-management is the key for the Italian. It has seen him become the only coach to oversee title wins in each of the five major European leagues and the only manager to lift the coveted Champions League trophy four times.
Among the clubs Ancelotti has enjoyed success at are AC Milan and Chelsea. Seedorf played under him at the former, where he enjoyed the most trophy-laden period of his storied playing career — and revealed that the pair came very close to repeating the trick, which would've seen the gifted midfielder link up with his dream centre-forward.
Seedorf said: "I was close to playing with [Didier] Drogba. He was a perfect striker for the way I played, to serve. We talked about it, and he was happy. I almost went to Chelsea and it didn't happen.
"When Ancelotti went to manage Chelsea [in 2009], we had some very serious talks, but unfortunately it didn't happen. You cannot have everything in life!
"[We had] so many good memories — the most special one was meeting him to sign with AC Milan. In the first season, winning the Champions League and after the final whistle, we were very close, and I will never forget he jumped on me. Fortunately, I had enough to keep him still in my arms after 120 minutes! That was one of the first beautiful memories of an amazing relationship.
"I played under amazing coaches — from [Louis] van Gaal, who put me in at 16 at Ajax, to [Fabio] Capello, who really consolidated my talent at the highest level at Madrid, [Vicente] Del Bosque, [Marcelo] Lippi… But he was the manager where the chemistry was the best, for the longest period.
"When I came to AC Milan, I was 26. We played three finals and two semi-finals of the Champions League, two more cup finals. We were the leading team in the world at that point."
Part four of The Sporting News' exclusive sitdown with Seedorf follows next week, as the Dutch hero gives his take on Lionel Messi's move to Inter Miami — with Seedorf having also made a late career switch across the Atlantic.