Carlo Ancelotti Reveals The Secret Behind his Eternal Passion for Football
Three days before facing Leganés in LaLiga's Matchday 13, Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti revealed that, at 65, his love for football remains as strong as it was in his childhood.
Earlier this week, Real Madrid inaugurated the new academic year of its university, an event attended by prominent figures linked to the club, such as Emilio Butragueño, Santiago Solari, Álvaro Arbeloa, Miguel Pardeza, and Manolo Sanchís. While all delivered speeches to the students, Ancelotti’s words stood out as particularly meaningful.
Taking advantage of some downtime after the international break, the Italian coach touched on several topics, including the importance of passion in achieving success in football—a quality he claims to hold as vividly as ever.
“Passion is the fuel, and if you’re lucky enough to do things with passion, it allows you to carry out your work with discipline, sacrifice, and commitment. For me, football is not a job. If there’s passion behind everything you do, it becomes much less difficult. I’m fortunate to work in a profession I don’t consider a job because I love what I do. I started playing football as a child; it was a passion then, and it still is,” explained Ancelotti, who has won it all as both a player and a coach.
"The most important thing here is to succeed"
Carlo Ancelotti is a testament to longevity in a club where he has found the perfect environment to continue his career.
“Real Madrid is a family. We spend a lot of time here, and the atmosphere helps you give your best. Personally, I prefer working in a family environment. Every day you spend here, you feel it,” the coach remarked.
He also highlighted the reasons behind the club’s success:
“I’ve worked at many top-level clubs, but Real Madrid is the greatest in the world in terms of history, organization, and demands. Here, you realize that the most important thing is to succeed on the pitch. The president’s work is spectacular, and the club wins because of his efforts,” he said, also emphasizing Real Madrid’s winning culture and its absolute intolerance for defeat, a mentality he instills in his squad.
After this academic interlude, Ancelotti returned to training at Valdebebas, where he continues to reintegrate the international players, focusing on their next challenge: a short trip to face Leganés on the outskirts of Madrid.
