In the FIFA World Cup round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan, Gabriel Martinelli scored a winning goal in injury time, securing Brazil's advancement to the round of 16. While teammates and coaching staff celebrated wildly on the field, Italy's Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil's team manager, did not join in the exuberance.
Ancelotti's calm reaction after the winning goal puzzled fans who wondered why he showed no joy despite Brazil struggling throughout the match and scoring so close to the final whistle.
After the game, he explained that his lack of celebration was out of respect for the Japanese team, who gave their all in the match, and because he understood how painful such a defeat could be.
Additionally, during halftime, he told Neymar, the team's superstar, “If we don't equalize today, I will send you on,” after Neymar had played only about 15 minutes as a substitute in the previous game. However, Ancelotti did not bring Neymar onto the field because he believed his current players would equalize and eventually win—and in the end, the result went as he hoped.
This match was another example of Ancelotti demonstrating his calm, experience, and class as a world-class coach, proving it once again in this game.