How Hydration Breaks Caused Brazil World Cup Exit – Ancelotti

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that the tactical changes he made during a second-half hydration break against Norway played a major role in his team’s shock exit from the FIFA World Cup.

Brazil were knocked out in the round of 16 after losing 2-1 to Norway, their earliest World Cup exit since 1990.

Speaking to ESPN, Ancelotti said he believed the turning point came during the mandatory cooling break introduced by FIFA midway through each half of matches at the tournament.

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

He explained that Brazil had been in control of the match before the break but felt the team was losing its grip on the game. That led him to make tactical changes, a decision he now regrets.

“That was probably my mistake. I thought the team had lost control when they hadn’t. I made a few changes, then we conceded Erling Haaland’s goal. In a World Cup, when you concede that late in the second half, it is very difficult to come back,” he added.

The match was goalless at the hydration break before Haaland scored twice late on to put Norway in control. Brazil managed one goal but could not avoid elimination.

Brazil also missed key chances to take the lead. Bruno Guimarães had an early penalty saved, while substitute Endrick failed to score in a one-on-one opportunity just after the hour mark.

Despite the disappointment, Ancelotti praised Norway for their performance throughout the tournament.

“It’s true that Norway had a lot of possession in their own half. They played the same way against England. They controlled the game and could have won,” he said.

Norway reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history before losing 2-1 to England after extra time.

Meanwhile, FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, Arsène Wenger, said during the tournament that the new hydration breaks did not disrupt the flow of matches or influence results.