Davide Ancelotti, the son of legendary football manager Carlo Ancelotti, has secured his first managerial position in Europe after being appointed as the head coach of Lille. The 36-year-old has signed a two-year contract and will lead the Ligue 1 side into the UEFA Champions League for the upcoming season.
Ancelotti steps into the role vacated by Bruno Génésio, whose contract was not renewed despite guiding Lille to a third-place finish in Ligue 1, which secured their return to Europe's premier club competition. The club announced the appointment on Monday, expressing delight in welcoming the young manager.
“LOSC is delighted to welcome Davide Ancelotti as they prepare for the 2026-2027 season, which will combine Ligue 1 and the UEFA Champions League,” a Lille statement read. “This young manager, already highly experienced thanks to his extensive career with some of the world's biggest clubs, coaching staffs, and locker rooms, is also renowned for his ability to develop young talent while performing at the highest level.”
Davide Ancelotti brings a wealth of experience as an assistant coach, having worked alongside his father at top clubs including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid. He also served with the Brazil national team during their successful 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign. He left the Brazil setup in July 2025, with his father now preparing to lead the Selecao into this summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Lille president Olivier Letang praised the new appointment, stating: “Davide is a consummate professional, possessing all the qualities and skills of a modern coach. I have known him for many years and have closely followed his progress at the highest level, in the wake of the legendary Carlo Ancelotti. His vision of football and his approach to coaching are both rigorous and highly relevant.”
Letang continued: “We were very impressed by his energy and determination, and by his maturity and experience. We are convinced that he is ready and has all the necessary skills to lead and develop LOSC's sporting project, thanks to his technical abilities and experience as well as the human values he embodies. Davide aligns with our values; he shares them and is also intimately familiar with the project we have been developing for LOSC for over five years now. We are extremely pleased to welcome Davide and wish him a warm welcome to Les Dogues.”
Davide Ancelotti's only previous full-time head coaching role was a brief five-month stint at Botafogo last year, which ended in his dismissal. He also worked as a fitness coach at Paris Saint-Germain over 13 years ago during his father's tenure. Lille's return to the Champions League follows a season where, under Génésio, they competed in the Europa League, reaching the round of 16 before being eliminated by eventual champions Aston Villa.
