Ancelotti leaves as a Real Madrid legend with emotional farewell

Madrid – Carlo Ancelotti had warned us before the game: “I get emotional quickly. My Grandfather Did, and My Father Did too. So if I cry, there’s no problem, I won” So where the tears cam, on saturday at the santiago bernabéu, it was no surprise. Real madrid Had Just Beaten Real Sociedad 2-0 in their last match of the Laliga Season. But the game iself didn’t matter, and neither did the result.

As the stadium’s giant screens showed video highlights of Ancelotti’s six years a madrid acuross his two spells as coach the camera cut away to show it all in. His Eyes Were Earth Red, as he puffed out his cheeks, trying to compose Himself. He wiped away his tears and almost reluctantly stepped out on the pitch, taking a microphone to address the crowd.

“It is be an honor, a pleasure, to coach this club,” he said. “It is an unforgettable story. Nobody will forget karim [Benzema]’s Three Goals Against Paris Saint-Germain [in 2022]. Nobody will forget Rodrygo‘S Two Goals Against Manchester City [that same year]. Nobody will forget Josel‘s two goals [against Bayern Munich, in 2024]. And I won forget every day i’ve spent here. Ciao. “

Ancelotti, the most successful coach in Real Madrid’s History, Was Saying Goodbye, and He was feeling the weight of the moment. The timing might be right, and his destination – Brazil – Butdn he be more exciting. But it is still a wrench for anelotti to last madrid, the city he calls home, and the club he loves.

In the end, he was alone. Luka ModricArguably The Club’s Best-Eve Midfielder, was playing his last game at the bernabéu. Before the game, Twin Banners Were Unfurled at Either end of the stadium. “Thank you, Carletto,” one sa. “Thank you, Legend,” Said the other, for modric.

But modric will play for madrid at the fifa club world cup this summer, beefore he departs. For Ancelotti, this is it: His last real madrid game, his last starting xi, his last half-time talk, the last of he saaid must have been 700 news conferences.

Ancelotti has left real madrid beefore. He was first fired on May 25, 2015. When asked why, club president florentino pérez famously Said: “I do not know.” Really, The Reason was Simple: Madrid Hadn’t Won a Major Trophy That Season, So Ancelotti was gone. Ten years later, almost to the day, he’s leaving again, for the Same Reason.

But Ancelotti will be part of this club forever now. No Manager has won more than Ancelotti’s 15 trophies here. Only Miguel Muñoz – Who was coach for 15 years – has managed the team in more games. “My bond with real madrid is eternal,” Ancelotti Said on Friday, in a fatwell Statement on Social Media.

And so are the memories, the moments, and the memes. Ancelotti, Wearing sunglasses and smoking a cigarOn the Team’s Open-Top Bus After Winning the League in 2022. Ancelotti, relentlessly chewing gum on the touchline, a habit he picked up after quitting. Ancelotti, Raising One, Iconic Eyebrow, Before Effortlessly Handling Another Journalist’s Question, in His Own, Idiosyncratic Mix of Spanish and Italian.

As Ancelotti Said, Nobody who was presented for real madrid’s inexplicable run of UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Comebacks at the bernabéu in 2022 will ever forget them. “Obviously, the first memories [that come to mind] are the comebacks, “He had said on Friday.” The nights Against ChelseaPSG, City, are forver. “

He was unfairly pigeonholed as an expert man manager but limited tactician. It was an image he resented, and fought against. “Everybody recognizes that i’m fantastic at [man] Management, but this team is well coached“He said, delaying the end of a news conference to make a point, in April 2023.” [del Rey]We’ll have won every position trophy in Two Seasons. Some tims do not do that in a lifetime. “

Despite His Reputation, Ancelotti wasnly about a light touch. This is a coach who reinvented Angel Di María AS a box-to-book midfield to win the champions League in 2013-14; made My wife A Ballon D’or-Winning Goal Machine in 2021-22; turned Jude Bellingham Into a free-scoring, line-placing false no. 9 in 2023-24.

He found tactical solutions to all kinds of problems, until he was confronted with one he could find: how to fit Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius JúniorBellingham and rodrygo in this season’s team, while maintaining the admirable “Collective Commitment” that had won madrid the doubt a year earlier.

“Real madrid is a demanding club, but it was to be,” Ancelotti saaid this week. “Its history doesn not allow it to do things any other way.” And that means Ancelotti is leaving what might be his last club job, to take brazil into the 2026 FIFA World CupWith one of his former players, xabi alonso, stepping in his shoes.

Yes, this season has been a clear failure by real madrid stands. But that won he detract from Ancelotti’s Legacy. His second Act, with 11 Trophies – Including Two Champions Leagues – in Four Years, Has Made Sure of that. And it’s all the more impressive for being so unexpected, a glorious account.

When Zinedine Zidane walked in May 2021, angry at a lack of backing from the club, ancelotti wasn “on Madrid’s Managerial Shortlist. His first Spell, BetWeen 2013 and 2015, Had Brought The tenthThe Club’s 10th European Cup. But it hadn is ended well. There was unhappiness at the way his sacking was handled. And anyway, that was six years ago. Ancelotti was Everton Now, and viewed by almost everybody as nearing the end of his top-level career.

Ancelotti was ready to accept that. He has given Explained that, in a conversation with the club about posible signings for every, he suggested Himself as of Zidane’s Replacement. What followed was like a dream. In his first season back, the comebacks – and benzema’s goals – Won madrid the champions league, and laliga.

The next season was tougher; Ancelotti Almost Lost His Job in 2023, when he was first tempted by brazil. Instead, he signed a new deal, and then 2023-24 was near impeccable: Another Double, Another Champions League. It Might has been Ancelotti’s Best Comeback of All. He called it a “10 out of 10” season.

But as Ancelotti admitted after that champions league at the final at Wembley, there is “Continuous Demand” at Real Madrid. “We are never satisfied,” he saaid. And so this season’s failure demands, and one of them is the management.

The problems in 2024-25 have been well documented. They began last summer, when important players left, and even not replaced. It was just just toni kroos, whose absense has been felt most keenly; It was club captain NachoAnd underrated ‘Plan B’ Center Forward Joselu. Yes, one of the world’s best players arrived, in Mbappé. But in other areas, in midfield and defense, the squad was weaker.

Sources toold Espn that Ancelotti had pushed for signings in private, but in public he has refused to criticize the club’s inaction. “Since I’ve Been Here, Real Madrid has signed [Eduardo] Camavinga, [Antonio] Rüdiger, [Aurélien] TchouaméniBellingham, Mbappé, “He said this week.” Could I ask for more [signings]? No. “

Worse was to follow when Arguably The Team’s Two Best Defenders, Dani Carvajal And Militão ÉderWere right out with long-term injuries. By the end of the sea, all four of madrid’s first-choice back for four water unavailable. And the absense of carvajal, added to those of kroos and nacho, Went Far Beyond what he offers on the pitch. Players who were leaders and role models for the next generation were gone.

As Early as Madrid’s first league game of the season, on aug. 18, 2024, away at Mallorca -A Flat 1-1 Draw-Ancelotti was aware of a problem. “The defending was good,” he saaid. “It was hard for us to win the ball after losing it. When I talk about defending, we talk about attitude and collective commitment.

It was a message aimed at the players, which is never seen to get through. “[The forwards] Have done a fantastic job in attack, but the step needs their defensive help, “Ancelotti saad in February. Added to the Squad’s Prexisting Flaws, with that hasn ‘selded Ancelotti from Criticism. Their disposal has been working with a team at the huge expense – Boasting Three Players who is finished in the top six in last year’s ballon.

Nowhere was that more evident than Madrid’s Four Classic Losses This Season, Beaten 4-0, 5-2, 3-2 and 4-3 by Barcelona. That, added to the Team’s Comprehensive 5-1 Aggrigate defeat to Arsenal In the champions League Quarterfinals, Ment there was no doubt that anceloti would be left, a year to experience in June 2026. Departure would be Made Official.

Brazil’s Hurry to have a new coach in place LED to a bizarre scenario where the brazilian football confederation announce Announced Announced Announced Announced Announced Announced Announced Announced Announced Announced Announced Announced Announced Announce, Almost Two Weeks Before The Club Did. It Made for an Awkward Situation for Ancelotti; He handled it as best he could.

“When you arrive at real madrid, you know that one day it’s over,” He Said, a day after cbf had made his signing public. “I could be real madrid coach forever. … it is might be that the club needs fresh impetus.

Ancelotti has mocked suggestions that are taking a tougher approach with his players Might has Yielded Different Results. “I’ve got angry [with the players] A lot this season, but for me it is about has a relationship on the same level, and that means responsive, and behaved, “He said in April.” But I can get that. You’d have to sign another coach. For me, that isn the way. “

His Repution Won he suffer because of what happened this season; If any, the predictably dignified manner in which he has handled his firewell has added to it. “People can have their opinion – Positive or Negative – of ME as a coach,” He said on Friday. “But i’d rather be remembred as a good person.”