The top South American team that could go after Pep Guardiola in 2026

The Brazilian team still cannot find the regularity that characterized the cycle of Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, Tite (2016-2022). Although the 63-year-old coach could not get past the quarterfinals of the World Cup in 2018 and 2022, he did show a very high performance in the always disputed South American qualifiers.

On the way to the 2026 World Cup, the 'scratch' has dealt with a thousand and one difficulties to stay in the direct qualification zone. With Dorival Júnior, there are three coaches who have been on the bench of the seleçao without any of them having found a convincing performance.

In that sense, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) seems willing to prepare, once again, a mega contract after the fiasco that led to the non-arrival of Carlo Ancelotti in 2023. According to the latest information, in 2026, the Brazilians would go for Pep Guardiola, as long as the Catalan coach decides to end his cycle at Manchester City. At least this would be Ronaldo Nazário's bet if he became president of the CBF.

Brazil wants a 'top' coach for the next World Cup

In principle, the 'Phenomenon' could become president of the highest body in Brazilian football in March 2026, when the precautionary measure that keeps Ednaldo Rodrigues at the head of the CBF expires. This would happen just three months before the World Cup in North America, but the bet of the former '9' of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid is much more ambitious.

Pep has left the door open to his farewell to the 'sky blue' team on several occasions, but the Mancunian board does not consider him lost and hopes to convince him to continue, at least, one more year at the head of a team that is currently going through due to a major gaming crisis. Ronaldo, for his part, hopes that the Catalan coach will leave the 'Cityzens' in June, take a few months of vacation and assume command of the seleçao the following year.

Brazil, for its part, does not want to wait much longer to hire a 'top' coach, since the image shown by the 'verdeamarela' during its visit to Venezuela (1-1) once again set off the alarm about an imminent fiasco in the next World Cup. The 'scratch' has not won the World Cup since 2002 and, in the last three years, it has seen how Argentina wins absolutely everything with Lionel Scaloni on the bench.

Hence, beyond the tradition of betting on local coaches (), the CBF is willing to hit the table with the hiring of a 'top' coach, regardless of Ronaldo's arrival to the presidency. Guardiola would like to try his luck in a national team, although the bet with the South American giant would undoubtedly be the riskiest of his career.