![\"'The](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132208859,imgsize-96104,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/brazil-norway-wcup-soccer.jpg\" "\\"Brazil")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nBrazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti insisted his side’s shock exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup should be viewed as the beginning of a new era rather than the end of a journey after the five-time champions were eliminated by Norway in the Round of 16.Brazil’s campaign came to a disappointing end with a 2-1 defeat, as Erling Haaland struck twice in the second half to send Norway into the quarter-finals for the first time in the men’s team’s history. Neymar<\/a> converted a penalty deep into stoppage time, but it proved to be only a consolation as Brazil suffered their earliest World Cup exit since 1990.The result was a major setback for one of the tournament favourites, who had topped Group C after drawing with Morocco and defeating Haiti and Scotland before edging past Japan 2-1 in the Round of 32.Reflecting on the defeat, Ancelotti admitted the mood in the Brazil camp was one of deep disappointment but remained confident that the setback would lay the foundations for future success.“It\u2019s obvious that we are all deeply saddened because the team had, until now, not a spectacular World Cup but a good one. I think that in today\u2019s game we could also have deserved to win. When a moment like this happens, you have to think that a defeat is the beginning of a new adventure. I believe that this defeat is not an end, it is the beginning of a new cycle,\u201d he said.Brazil created several opportunities throughout the contest but failed to make them count. Bruno Guimar\u00e3es missed a first-half penalty with the scores level, while Casemiro was unable to pick out Neymar with a cross during a promising attack that could have produced an equaliser.Ancelotti also defended the decision to allow Guimar\u00e3es to take the penalty instead of Vin\u00edcius J\u00fanior, explaining that his coaching staff had spent a year analysing the team’s penalty options. With Neymar not on the pitch at the time and Raphinha unavailable through injury, Guimar\u00e3es had been identified as the designated taker.Despite the painful exit, Ancelotti stressed that his focus had already shifted towards rebuilding the national side ahead of the next World Cup.\u201cWe will continue working for the national team, trying to improve and seek new ideas. The same thing we did this year. I think the work was good, football is like that, sometimes you have to manage the sadness of a defeat. I’m used to that. We will manage this defeat with a new impetus to the work and in the evaluation of the players,\u201d he concluded.Brazil captain Marquinhos echoed his manager’s frustration, admitting the team failed to capitalise on the chances they created.\u201cWe really fell short in the opportunities that we did create,\u201d Marquinhos said. \u201cWe had a penalty kick, we had some other chances as well, but here’s the World Cup for you. Those that make the least mistakes are able to move forward to the next round, and to be victorious.\u201dThe defeat brought an end to Brazil’s remarkable record in the World Cup knockout stages. Before facing Norway, the Sele\u00e7\u00e3o had played 11 previous Round of 16 matches, winning nine, drawing one and losing only once. Their only previous defeat at this stage came against Argentina in 1990, while they progressed past Chile on penalties after a draw in 2014.Brazil also saw a run of eight consecutive World Cup quarter-final appearances come to an end, marking their first failure to reach the last eight since 1990.The loss continued another unwanted trend, with Brazil now having suffered seven successive World Cup knockout defeats against European opposition since beating Germany in the 2002 final. The absence of injured midfielder Lucas Paquet\u00e1 further compounded the team’s problems as the tournament favourites headed home much earlier than expected.<\/div>\n