Welcome to a collection of profound insights and wisdom from one of football’s most esteemed figures, Carlo Ancelotti. With a career spanning decades both as a player and as a manager, Ancelotti has left an indelible mark on the sport, earning admiration for his tactical acumen, leadership, and grace under pressure. Renowned for his calm demeanor and ability to extract the best from his teams, Ancelotti’s journey in football has been nothing short of illustrious.
Throughout his illustrious career, Carlo Ancelotti has not only achieved remarkable success on the pitch but has also garnered respect for his astute observations and philosophies on the beautiful game. From the hallowed grounds of San Siro to the iconic benches of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, Ancelotti’s experiences have shaped his perspective, offering invaluable insights into the dynamics of football and the art of management. As we delve into the depths of Ancelotti’s quotes, we invite you to explore his words of wisdom, which serve as a beacon of inspiration and guidance for players, coaches, and fans alike. Discover the essence of football through the lens of Carlo Ancelotti’s discerning wisdom and let his quotes ignite your passion for the game.
I started this job in 1995, and I felt the same pressure in my first day, with my first team, Reggiana, in the Second Division, as I feel now. Nothing has changed, but what changes are the number of games, especially for top teams. For this reason, the work has pressure. But only this. Carlo Ancelotti
The formula to beat the press is simple; it’s the execution that’s tough. If you have the quality to do so, you pass your way through it. And if you don’t, you just boot it over the top. And then it becomes a game of winning ‘second balls’. Carlo Ancelotti
The fact that these owners sacked me doesn’t mean that our relationship is broken. I still get on well with Florentino, and although I haven’t spoken much with Abramovich since I left Chelsea, I have no problem with him. Carlo Ancelotti
I have a lot of power. Here, I can decide: training at six in the morning! Training 11 in the night! But my style is not to impose. I would like to convince the players of what they are doing. This takes more time. Carlo Ancelotti
Firmino is the most decisive player because he comes to play between the lines and opens the spaces to his team-mates. Carlo Ancelotti
To find a clear identity for the team – that is not about buying certain players for a lot of money. It is about getting players who want to play the right way. Carlo Ancelotti
The owner or president is the person who controls the club. The coach’s job is to keep him happy. But the key to success, as a manager, is your relationship with the players. Important clubs and important players succeed when the environment is correct. The players must enjoy their work and feel free to express their talents. Carlo Ancelotti
I like to be funny. I can’t stay all the time focused, disciplined, controlled. Behaviour like that is impossible. If the players are too nervous before a game, I have to relax them, calm them. Carlo Ancelotti
I think it’s actually more difficult to come to a club where everything is going great and everyone is happy. When you take over from a guy who has been sacked because things weren’t going well, it’s more straightforward. Carlo Ancelotti
I’m in favour of innovation, just as long as the game does not suffer for it. Carlo Ancelotti
There is already good organisation at Chelsea, but at Milan, it was about prevention rather than treatment. We want to integrate some of the things we had at Milan here. Some people are surprised when they hear that we solved David Beckham’s back problem by fixing his teeth, for example, but we will look at everything. Carlo Ancelotti
You, as a manager, are judged on results and not on the work you do and the performance of the team. Imagine paying a guy a huge amount of money and then judging him not on the things he can control, but on those he can’t. Carlo Ancelotti
At the start of my two years at Juventus, I had big plans for the club, but it turned out that the Intertoto Cup was the only medal in my desk drawer when finally they told me to pack my bags. We started the first season really well, and Conte was so important for me. Carlo Ancelotti
In Italy, football is too important. There is more pressure on coaches, teams, directors. Now is not a good moment for football in Italy. The stadiums are not full. There are problems with violence; it’s very difficult with the ultras. People don’t go to the stadium just to enjoy 90 minutes of football. People go to the stadium to fight, to win. Carlo Ancelotti
You tell them that all your experience tells you this is the best way to beat this particular opposition. You persuade them and you drill them, and you tell them so many times they can hear you when they go to sleep. Then, on the day of the game, you stand on the touchline and hope to God that it works. Carlo Ancelotti
I love my job. I don’t find it stressful, and I only took a rest because I didn’t find another club after Real. It was not something that I needed because of stress, because that is not a problem for me. I don’t have pressure. I like my job, and I know how it is. I have experience. Carlo Ancelotti
For me, the Premier League is full of quality, and the clubs competing at the top are the same who compete at the top of Europe every year. Carlo Ancelotti
I have worked with some of the most important players, like Ronaldo, Ibrahimovic, Kaka, Zidane, but the best are easy to work with because they are so professional. Their winning mentality, professionalism, helps the manager. Of course, sometimes I become angry, but usually my relationship with the players is calm. Carlo Ancelotti
Usually, the most intelligent player is a midfielder. Carlo Ancelotti
That is what a good manager does – you study and think and discuss, and you come up with a model of playing. Carlo Ancelotti
My impression of Abramovich is that he loves football, his club, and his players. He wants to know everything that is going on and is very passionate. Berlusconi, too, loves his club, but he was a man of the people and conducted his life in public. Carlo Ancelotti
I have never seen a talent like Ronaldo. He always scores, scores, scores. The first game he played for Milan, Sienna away, I said to him, ‘I can’t put you on the pitch. You are 100kg.’ ‘Mister,’ he said, ‘don’t worry, I will score.’ I put him in, and he scored twice. Carlo Ancelotti
Usually, a Brazilian doesn’t like to work hard in training, doesn’t like to stay focused. I trained a lot of Brazilian players. I had a problem with Ronaldo at Milan. It was not easy to get him fit! Ronaldo was 100kg but was the quickest in the 10 metre test! Carlo Ancelotti
Football is the most important of the less important things in the world. Carlo Ancelotti
I spent eight years with Berlusconi, and I still have a good relationship with him. Carlo Ancelotti
When I arrived at Juventus as the manager in 1999, Antonio Conte was the captain of the club, an Italy international, and a player who had a lot of influence in the dressing room – and when I needed a leader in the team, he was the obvious choice. Carlo Ancelotti