Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has accepted responsibility for his side’s shock Round-of-16 exit at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, admitting a tactical mistake during a second-half hydration break proved decisive in the defeat to Norway.

Speaking in an interview with ESPN, the Italian manager said Brazil had been in control before he made changes that disrupted the team’s balance and ultimately led to Erling Haaland’s match-winning goal.

According to Ancelotti, Norway enjoyed plenty of possession but posed little threat before the hydration break.

“I think we lost the World Cup during the hydration break vs Norway,” Ancelotti said.

“Why? Because until that moment, the team was in control. It’s also true that Norway had a lot of possession in their half. They played the same way against England. They controlled the game, and they could’ve won.”


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The veteran coach admitted he misjudged the flow of the match and unnecessarily altered his team’s shape.

“That’s where my mistake may have been, thinking that the team had lost control of the game when it hadn’t,” he explained.

“I made a few changes to the lineup, and then we had the problem with Erling Haaland’s goal.”

Ancelotti introduced Neymar and Danilo Santos in place of Gabriel Martinelli and Rayan shortly before the hydration break, but insisted the substitutions themselves were not the problem.

Instead, he said the error was in reshaping the team’s defensive and midfield structure to accommodate the changes.

Despite Brazil’s elimination, Ancelotti defended Neymar’s contribution, praising the forward’s performance, commitment and preparation throughout the tournament.

The tactical reshuffle, however, left Brazil exposed defensively, allowing Haaland to score the decisive goal in the 80th minute as Norway secured a 2-1 victory to advance to the quarter-finals.