Carlo Ancelotti will make his long-awaited debut in charge of Brazil as the Selecao travel to Guayaquil for a meeting with Ecuador on Thursday.

Don Carlo has been reportedly coveted by Brazil for years, and after the federation finally swooped in and landed the deal, the Italian will slide straight into the role following the conclusion of Real Madrid's season less than two weeks ago.

He hopes to carry Brazil out of the World Cup qualifying doldrums where they've floundered, battling inconsistency and disappointment. They sit fourth in the standings with four matches to go, likely safe but still embarrassed by the current position of a usually dominant nation.

Ancelotti's first challenge is a tough one, as Ecuador deservingly sit second in the standings and boast a talented squad with quality at the back. Since agonizingly falling to eventual champions Argentina on penalties in the Copa America quarterfinals last summer, Ecuador have lost just once: they were beaten by this very Brazil side, one of their few truly quality results of the past few years.

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Ecuador vs. Brazil prediction, odds

• Moneyline lean: Draw (+185 on DraftKings)
• Score prediction: Ecuador 1-1 Brazil

Brazil may have Ancelotti who will significantly raise their floor, but it will take some time for him to become stuck in to the position and have a genuine influence on the team's on-field results.

As it stands, this Brazil squad still has major holes, and those roster flaws will be exposed against a proven Ecuador side. La Tri are second in the World Cup qualifying standings for a reason, as they sport a number of players in their prime enjoying good form at big European clubs.

Moises Caicedo flew somewhat under the radar at Chelsea this season and was maybe the best defensive midfielder in the Premier League, while both Piero Hincapie and William Pacho are defensive stars. Pacho in particular can deal with Brazil's attacking pace, as he excels at defending in space.

The Ecuador attack is bereft of creativity, and they are missing talisman Enner Valencia due to injury as well, so they will be hard-pressed to find a goal themselves. Brazil, though, have shown a weakness defending set-pieces. Ecuador have not beaten Brazil in over 20 years, but they have drawn two of their last three meetings and should have pulled one off in the reverse fixture in September as well.

Ecuador vs. Brazil match facts

• Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
• Kickoff Time: 6 p.m. local (7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT)
• Location: Estadio Monumental (Guayaquil, Ecuador)
• Last meeting: Brazil 1-0 Ecuador (Sep. 6, 2024 | CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying)

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Ecuador vs. Brazil best bet

• Pick: Moises Caicedo 3+ total tackles
• Odds: +105 (DraftKings)

Chelsea's Caicedo is the anchor of Ecuador's midfield, and his run of spectacular form this season is a big reason why La Tri are in their strong qualifying position. The 23-year-old has blossomed into a defensive superstar who is press-resistant on the ball — a massive boost to Ecuador's ability to keep opponents at bay while they search for rare opportunities in front of goal.

In the Premier League this past season, Caicedo averaged exactly three tackles per game, ranking him third in total tackles amongst midfielders behind only two players on teams who enjoyed much less of the ball than Chelsea.

Caicedo has reached the three-tackle mark in two of his previous four games, and against a Brazil side who should have plenty of the ball, he'll have lots of opportunities to get stuck in.

Ecuador vs. Brazil prop bet

• Pick: Matheus Cunha anytime goal scorer
• Odds: +300 on DraftKings

• Pick: Matheus Cunha anytime assist
• Odds: +425 on DraftKings

While Vinicius Jr. continues to struggle with international form and with the rest of the Brazil attacking squad flawed, Matheus Cunha should be an enormously important piece of Ancelotti's first starting XI, unless he succumbs to the inadvisable allure of players with more star power.

The Wolves playmaker was massive for a side that battled relegation for half the season, carrying them almost single-handedly to Premier League safety. He ranked in the 97th percentile for shot-creating actions amongst European-based forwards last season, and even sits in the 80th percentile when compared to attacking midfielders and wingers who are saddled with loads of chance-creation responsibilities in the modern game. It's not surprising that Manchester United are about to sign him.

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Like at Barcelona, Raphinha needs another forward on the side to carry the load to be prolific (and he's suspended for this match anyways due to yellow card accumulation), while the likes of Gabriel Martinelli, Vinicius, and even a suddenly hot Antony don't exactly strike fear in the hearts of international opponents on current form. Expect Cunha to be saddled with a significant amount of responsibilities in the attacking third, if Ancelotti is as smart as his storied career suggests.

Editor's note: Matheus Cunha began on the bench for Brazil at the start of this match. Will Carlo Ancelotti regret not giving him more time to make an impact in this match?