Brazilian national team coach Carlo Ancelotti appeared at a press conference after the victory over Paraguay 1-0 in the 16th round of the South American qualifiers for the World Cup.

The coach said: "I think it was a good match, the first half was excellent. We played well, we had possession of the ball and controlled it, although we didn't finish the match well. We slowed down in the second half, but overall, I think it was a complete match, and we are very happy. We need to work hard, we have one year left, and it is important to finish the qualifiers with these two matches with good performance. The audience is happy. I would like to thank the fans for the reception they gave us. We left happy, and now it's time to look forward."

He added: Regarding the inclusion of Martinelli, Raphinha, and Matheus Cunha instead of Gerson, Estevão, and Richarlison: "The idea was to change the attack a bit. Martinelli changed his position with Vinicius, and Cunha helped in ball possession in attack. Cunha, Martinelli, Raphinha... the team worked in great harmony; Vanderson pressured Paraguay strongly on the right side. They played well, and that is why I am happy."

He continued: "We must present exciting football with and without the ball. Pressure is important because it does not give the opponent enough time to play the way they want. There is a problem; you have to run to pressure, sacrifice, commit, and show fighting spirit, and the team has shown that in both matches. We wanted to exert more pressure in Ecuador to show a different performance. In this match, we presented a good performance. Pressure is very important."

He added: "What are the plans for the upcoming period? First, find a place to live. Second, yes, I will go to the Club World Cup. Third, I have a long list of players from all over the world, in Brazil, Europe, and Saudi Arabia, about 70 players. We will have time to evaluate each one of them. All seventy of them are qualified for the World Cup. There is no final list of 25 or 26 players. I was really impressed by the spirit, commitment, and environment that these players showed in this first call-up."

He emphasized: "Regarding not conceding any goals in his first two matches with Brazil: I am Italian (laughs). The team did not concede any goals thanks to their excellent defensive performance, and the midfield players made an extraordinary effort, like Casemiro. I am happy about that too, but also because we are in the World Cup."

On not relying on Cunha as a central striker: "It is clear that it is a plan we can use, which is the 4-3-3 formation that we also used against Ecuador. We have excellent wings. We can play with three players in midfield. Today, Cunha was not a central striker; he was an attacking midfielder. We benefited from the speed of Vinicius, Martinelli, and Raphinha to attack the wings, and Cunha played as a playmaker. Against Ecuador, Cunha did not play, while Gerson did. I preferred three players in midfield to add more solidity to the defense."

He continued: "Has Vinicius become the protagonist? There is no objection to Vinicius being able to do what he does and what he will do. He showed an amazing performance. We were really impressed with what he presented today; he performed wonderfully."

About his current period with Brazil: "It has been fifteen wonderful days in every sense. The Brazilian people welcomed me wonderfully. Today, on the fields, they gifted me a set of shirts. The atmosphere within the Brazilian Football Confederation is fantastic, like a family. The players' performance was amazing. We achieved victory, and we are very happy."

On Casemiro: "Casemiro is a safety for the team. His quality and leadership are very strong. He is a leader, like Danilo, Marquinhos, and Alisson... not only because of his quality but also because of his behavior. I don't want to mention Raphinha; I will mention everyone. They all did a good job. We did not face any problems managing the locker room. Everything went well."

He noted: "We controlled the ball much better. We needed to win the match, so we had more flexible opportunities. The attack from the back was excellent, and Alisson's performance was remarkable. It would have been better if we had played with the same strength we played in the first half in the second half, but the result was in our favor and we did not take risks as we did in the first half."

He remarked on Neymar: "I saw Neymar at the hotel, and we hugged. When he is healthy, he can play anywhere on the field. Today, he can play the same role as Cunha, as a number 10. In this position, he can be extremely dangerous."

He continued: "Neymar and Rodrygo? We played today with four forwards, and the team was balanced. Playing with four or three or two forwards is not a problem. It is about having ten players running and sacrificing themselves. Rodrygo has done this many times; we know him well. Neymar is capable of doing that easily."

He concluded: "Raphinha is an amazing and modern player who combines his tremendous quality with exceptional physical work."