Media365
Coach Carlo Ancelotti has urged Brazil fans not to get carried away after the team’s 3-0 win over Scotland in the FIFA World Cup, a match that also marked the return of Neymar and another strong performance from Vinícius Júnior.After opening their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Morocco, Brazil have followed it up with two wins and finished top of Group C. Ancelotti said the team is beginning to play the way he wants ahead of the knockout stage. “We’re now playing as a team, that was the aim,” Ancelotti told a press conference, as quoted by news agency Reuters. “We’re not perfect, we need to improve a few things – we could be quicker when we’re in possession.“I’m happy because the team has improved since the opening match. Being solid is very important now that we’ve reached the knockout stages.”Brazil will now face the second-placed team from Group F in the Round of 32, with the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden among the possible opponents.One of the major talking points from the match was Neymar’s return. The forward played his first minutes for Brazil after being out of the national team setup for nearly three years. Ancelotti said the veteran attacker had earned his place after working his way back to fitness.“He got the chance to play because he deserved it, he worked hard to recover,” Ancelotti said. “I think that in this World Cup, given his qualities, he can help the team. He played for just a few minutes, but he played well.“Neymar doesn’t need any motivation to play, no player needs motivation to wear the Brazil shirt. He’s 34-years-old and still has the same passion as a young boy.”Ancelotti also praised Vinicius, who scored twice and was involved throughout the game.“Vini is in great form at the moment and the team helps him a lot,” Ancelotti said. “He can play in various positions, both on the inside and on the wing.“It’s very rewarding to see Vinicius like this, I had no doubt he could reach this level. I wasn’t the one who discovered Vini, he’s a top-class player, one of the best in the world.”Despite Brazil’s strong finish to the group stage, Ancelotti said the team’s work is far from complete.“I haven’t set a target for how far we can go,” he said. “The aim isn’t to play well, the aim is to win. A manager is judged by victory or defeat, not by whether the team plays well or badly.”
