Carlo Ancelotti has left the door open on a possible third spell in charge of Real Madrid.
The veteran Italian coach ended his second stint in charge of Los Blancos back in June, as he ended the season without a trophy, and former player Xabi Alonso was installed as his immediate replacement ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.
Following his exit from Madrid, Ancelotti took on a new challenge as the leader of the Brazil national side, in a career first for the 66-year-old.
Despite some initial negativity over his appointment, with some sections of the Brazilian media unhappy at a first non-national taking the job, Ancelotti has steered the Samba Boys over the line to 2026 World Cup qualification.
The focus for Ancelotti now is to harness a talented squad into a winning unit amid pressure to win a first world crown since 2002.
However, his long-term plans remain undecided, after confirming his contract will expire after the tournament next summer.
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"After the World Cup, everything is open. I think it was right at the time to sign a one-year contract. I have no problem if the CBF wants to continue,” he told ESPN.
"There’s no problem. I’m very happy here, my family is happy too. We can think about it. We have time to talk about it, I have no problem continuing. It would be nice (to stay until 2030)."
Whilst Ancelotti is open to continuing in Brazil, there is only one club job he is interested in, if a return to Europe beckons.
"Real Madrid is the only team I will accept managing after Brazil," as per French outlet L’Equipe.
Across his two terms in charge in Madrid, Ancelotti managed 353 games with an average win percentage of around 65%, plus two La Liga titles and three UEFA Champions League trophies.
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