“Now they won’t stop sending me cigars!”
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti spoke about the joys and sorrows of his career, the difficulties, his leadership style, CR7 and other stars at a conference in Mexico. He also opened up about aspects of his private life.
Anyone who knows Carlo Ancelotti closely knows that the Italian coach of Real Madrid is a man who takes his job very seriously, but who also knows how to be cheerful, witty and jovial. This was evident during his participation in a conference on leadership, México Siglo XXI, held by the Telmex Foundation, owned by Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim, in which Don Carletto took stock of his career, spoke of the joys and difficulties, of Cristiano Ronaldo and of more private aspects of his life. One of them involved cigars and chewing gum…
“I like to dance, sing and have fun with family and friends. It’s important to choose the right moment to sing. I only sing when we win titles and only at the stadium. I think I’ve only smoked a cigar once in my life, when I was celebrating on the bus with the players [on another occasion, Ancelotti explained that he didn’t smoke, he just simulated the act for the photo, which we publish here]. I never smoke cigars, but now I have a house full of cigars, as gifts. As well as lozenges. People keep sending them to me and I only use them at games,” said Ancelotti.
The 65-year-old coach, who, after a first spell at Real between 2013 and 2015, has been at the helm of the Merengues since 2021, is known for his calm and tranquility on the bench. But is that really the case?
“You always have to be positive on the bench, because you have to talk to the players. It’s not true that I’m always calm. I rarely get angry, but when I do, I get quite angry. A horse has two ways of jumping: with a whip or with a carrot. He jumps both ways. You have to choose. If you hit him with a whip, he might throw you back, if you give him a carrot, he’ll help you,” said the coach, in a curious analogy.
Confessing that he did not always think about being a coach, Ancelotti mentioned that it was names like Sven-Goran Eriksson or Arrigo Sacchi who led him to his current career. «One day, at Milan [Ancelotti was a Rossoneri player from 1987 to 1992], Sacchi said to me: “The day you stop playing, I would like you to be my assistant.” He was a genius. He changed the methodology. He was a great teacher and gave me a lot, like Eriksson», confesses the coach who, in addition to Real Madrid, managed Parma , Juventus , Milan , PSG , Chelsea and Bayern , and who, combining his career as a footballer and coach, won 45 trophies, including seven Champions Leagues!
With leadership being the main theme of the conference, Ancelotti explained his way of leading: “It is much more important to convince than to impose. A leader must have the ability to listen to those who work with him. They can always give him ideas that can help. It is important to listen and not think that you know everything just because you are the boss.”
Admitting that he encounters difficulties “every day” and that “defeats serve to grow”, the Italian coach finally spoke about Cristiano Ronaldo and Mbappé , now his player. “ Ronaldo continues to be a great professional. One of the best ever. A legend, a great professional and an example. Mbappé is adapting well, knowing that at Real , you have to give everything from the first to the last minute. Always!”
