Under Carlo Ancelotti’s guidance, the five-time World Cup champions have yet to concede a single goal in their last three matches.
This marks a striking contrast to Brazil’s form under former coach Dorival Júnior, where they conceded goals in six of their last seven matches. Since Ancelotti took charge, Brazil’s defense has stood firm in all three games. Defender Gabriel Magalhães believes this renewed focus on defense is key to their success, stressing that a team’s backline should always be its strongest foundation.
In Ancelotti’s first match in charge, Brazil played out a goalless draw against Ecuador in the World Cup qualifiers last June. They followed it up with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay. Their most dominant performance came in their latest match when the Seleção crushed Chile 3-0 last Friday morning, Bangladesh time.
Up next, Brazil will face Bolivia early Wednesday morning (Bangladesh time) in La Paz at the Estadio Hernando Siles, located over 4,000 meters above sea level. Playing in such high-altitude conditions has often troubled visiting teams. Neymar once even described Bolivia’s conditions as “inhumane.”
Despite the challenges, 27-year-old Arsenal center-back Gabriel Magalhães insists they aren’t worried about the altitude. For him, the focus remains on delivering a strong performance and securing another win for Brazil.
“Our foundation has to be defense,” said Magalhães. “From the very first whistle, we aim to solidify the backline as quickly as possible, no matter who is on the pitch. Everyone brings different strengths, and we work hard every day to understand each other better. Right now, we have a very solid defense.”
Speaking about the Bolivia clash, he added:
“We don’t need to focus on the altitude; we just need to focus on playing a great game wearing Brazil’s jersey and winning it. We know the difficulties, but we also know exactly what we need to do on the field. We are ready for this.”
