Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil have been left in disarray after their World Cup exit, with just one player travelling home with the squad while Norway – their conquerors – battle a sickness bug ahead of a quarter-final against England.
Erling Haaland tore Brazil apart at the round of 16, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes – the first with just over 10 minutes left, the second at the 90-minute mark – to give Norway a shock 2-1 victory. Neymar’s stoppage-time penalty was only a consolation for the five-time champions, who have now waited 24 years for World Cup glory.
“Brazil squad splits after World Cup exit as just one player travels home; Norway hit by sickness before England clash.”
Ancelotti’s position is under immediate scrutiny, with reports linking Pep Guardiola to the job. The Italian said: "What I say is that we continue to do our jobs and look for new ideas. It's the same thing we did this year. It is an experience on my side. It is a very disappointing result, and all of us are really saddened. But this was a great group, and I have to thank my players; they worked really hard. I don't think we deserved to lose, but we have to accept it. That is football for you, that is sports."
Yet the squad’s response to defeat exposed a lack of unity. The CBF arranged a flight home for the entire 26-man squad, but the players rejected it, instead going their separate ways. Only Danilo made the trip back to Rio alongside the backroom staff and Leo Nannetti, a training call-up who did not make the final squad. Several stars jetted off on holiday or returned directly to their clubs.
Norway, meanwhile, face a different kind of disruption. Their camp has been hit by a sickness bug on the eve of their quarter-final against England, with the demands of travel said to be taking its toll. The match is scheduled for 10pm on Saturday at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium.
Ancelotti’s future remains uncertain. With Guardiola’s name in the air and a squad that chose to scatter rather than stand together, Brazil’s wait for a sixth World Cup may extend further.