Ancelotti arrives in Brazil to take over as head coach of the national team

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Carlo Ancelotti wore a Brazil national team cap when he arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday on the eve of his formal introduction as head coach. He is the first foreigner to coach the five-time World Cup winners full-time in a century.

The 65-year-old Italian, who arrived in Brazil just before 9 p.m. local time with several family members and his coaching staff, will also announce his squad Monday for two South American World Cup qualifying matches next month against Ecuador and Paraguay.

Ancelotti arrived hours after Samir Xaud was elected for a four-year term as president of the Brazilian soccer confederation. Sunday's election marked the end of a tumultuous process, mired in legal procedures that removed Ednaldo Rodrigues as CBF president. It was Rodrigues who hired Ancelotti from Real Madrid.

There was no organized reception for Ancelotti; only one fan wearing a Brazil shirt saw Ancelotti leave Rio’s international airport after his arrival on a private jet.

He will find more local warmth at the hotel where he's set to give his first news conference as Brazil coach on Monday.

Some fans who were casually wearing Brazil's shirt at the airport said they're optimistic about the team's chances under the new coach.

Before Ancelotti, Brazil caretaker coaches Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz failed to bring good results and performances, and Dorival Júnior was fired in March after a 4-1 defeat at Argentina.

Ancelotti, whose contract with Brazil runs through the next World Cup, is expected to meet the CBF leadership before facing the domestic media.

“We can't trust Neymar, we can't trust the CBF, but Ancelotti does bring us hope,” said Flávio Mileny, a fan from the city of Belem visiting Rio and wearing Brazil's blue shirt. “Even if he doesn't bring the World Cup next year, hopefully he will stay on to win the next. He has won it all, it is a great beat that Brazil is making now.”

Eliane Salieri, who was wearing a Brazil national team jacket, said it was time for a foreigner to come in as head coach.

“I would have preferred Jorge Jesus, who coached Flamengo and won many titles here,” Salieri said in a reference to the Portuguese manager who was recently fired from Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal. “But this guy Ancelotti is great, he was won everything. Everyone will respect him.”

Xaud didn't face any challengers in his bid for the CBF president's job, despite the fact he has never run a soccer body in his career. He comes from the Amazon state of Roraima, bordering Venezuela, with only 10 clubs under its helm — none of them in top divisions.

Xaud's father has run the local soccer federation for four decades, and he was expected to take over next year. Though he had support from local state federations, which are key in the election, the vast majority of Brazil's top-flight clubs refused to send representatives to the confederation's headquarters to give support to the new president.

Xaud told journalists that Ancelotti “will have full autonomy” and “will be shielded from any possible external situation," in a reference to the confederation's legal woes and internal fighting.

Rodrigues, who was elected in 2022 and had been re-elected for a second term, was removed from the position by a Rio judge's decision due to alleged irregularities in the election process a year earlier.

Rodrigues gave up on any appeals and wished Xaud luck in his term.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Brazil's new national soccer team head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, arrives at the international airport in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Brazil's new national soccer team head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, arrives at the international airport in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Brazil's new national soccer team head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, arrives at the international airport in Rio de Janeiro, Sunday, May 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

Real Madrid's head coach Carlo Ancelotti is tossed into the air by his players after defeating Real Sociedad at the end of a Spanish La Liga soccer match, at Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Saturday, May 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Cesar Cebolla)

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander isn't scoring the way he usually does, but the Oklahoma City Thunder are still winning the way they normally do.

Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA MVP, averaged 31.1 points during the regular season. In the Western Conference semifinals against the Los Angeles Lakers, he is averaging 20 points and taking only 14 shots per game.

Oklahoma City has still won the first two games by an average of 18 points. Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren each scored 22 points, and the defending champion Thunder beat the Lakers 125-107 on Thursday night.

Ajay Mitchell, starting in place of injured Jalen Williams, is averaging 19 points on 50% shooting in the series for Oklahoma City.

“I think the coaching staff does a good job at just getting all of us ready,” said Mitchell, a second-year guard. "And we have a lot of competitors. Like, everyone’s a competitor on our team. So every time the lights are bright, everyone’s ready to go.”

Holmgren is the leading scorer for the Thunder in the best-of-seven series with 23 points per game. The 2026 All-Star also is averaging 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks.

Jared McCain, a midseason acquisition from the Philadelphia 76ers, barely played in the first round against Phoenix but has averaged 15 points and made 8 of 10 3-pointers in the series.

“He goes in there, stays in character, stays aggressive," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "He’s going to shoot the next shot. He makes the right plays, plays inside the team. He competes defensively, has had good defensive possessions for us. And he was huge tonight. You need that in a playoff series.”

The Lakers again were without scoring champion Luka Doncic, who is out indefinitely with a strained left hamstring. They also were missing forward Jarred Vanderbilt, the reserve forward who dislocated the pinkie on his right hand during the second quarter of Game 1. The Lakers had three players finish with five fouls, limiting their aggressiveness late in the game.

Los Angeles guard Austin Reaves, who struggled with his shot in Game 1, scored 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting in Game 2. LeBron James, coming off a 27-point effort in Game 1, followed that up with 23.

With the Lakers up 63-61 early in the third quarter, Gilgeous-Alexander got tied up with Reaves and was called for his fourth foul. Upon review, it was upgraded to a flagrant 1 for Gilgeous-Alexander's follow through. Oklahoma City's Alex Caruso was called for a technical foul as the situation was being sorted out.

Gilgeous-Alexander left the game with the Lakers up 65-61, but the Thunder rallied and took control without him. On a fast break, Holmgren found a trailing Jaylin Williams, who hit a 3-pointer and was fouled. His free throw put the Thunder up 85-74.

The Thunder outscored the Lakers 32-15 while Gilgeous-Alexander was out in the third quarter to take a 93-80 lead into the fourth.

“It was amazing," Gilgeous-Alexander said. “They strung together stops, they’re playing the right way offensively and things are going their way. Full confidence in those guys. They know how to win basketball games. And we've proven that. They’ve proven that no matter who’s on the floor, they know how to get the job done. And they just did it again tonight."

The Lakers cut Oklahoma City's lead to five in the fourth quarter before the Thunder pulled away again.

Los Angeles will host Game 3 on Saturday.

“We just stuck with it,” Holmgren said. “It’s the game of basketball. It’s not always going to go your way. It’s about how you respond. And this team has proven many times that we know how to respond. And we did so tonight.”

This story has been corrected to show that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is averaging 20, not 19, points per game against the Lakers.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Oklahoma City Thunder's Chet Holmgren (7) shoots over Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves (15) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, front, works for a shot as Los Angeles Lakers' Austin Reaves, rear, defends in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James stands on the court in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series against the Oklahoma City Thunder Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket past Los Angeles Lakers' Deandre Ayton (5) and LeBron James, rear, in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)

Oklahoma City Thunder center Chet Holmgren (7) works to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (28) in the second half of Game 2 in a second-round NBA basketball playoffs series Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Nate Billings)