Who is Davide Ancelotti? Meet LOSC's new manager

Davide Ancelotti has been named Lille's new manager -- learn more about the young Italian's path to being in charge of Les Dogues with our latest.

Following in the footsteps of a famous father

Born in Parma to Carlo Ancelotti, the legendary manager of AC Milan, Real Madrid, and of course Paris Saint-Germain among others, Davide Ancelotti was brought up under the tutelage of his father, but made far less of an impression on the pitch, having played just a handful of professional matches as a midfielder after coming through the academy at AC Milan. 

The 36-year-old, who has been signed to replace Bruno Génésio, started out as a physical trainer before he served as his father's assistant since 2016 at clubs such as Bayern, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid, as well as with the Brazilian national team. He gained his first experience as a head coach in Brazil, at Botafogo, in 2025, recording a record of 15 wins, 10 draws, and 8 losses -- good for sixth place and a place in the Copa Libertadores. Now he'll bring his experience to the north of France with a big season ahead.

A new Ancelotti arrives in Ligue 1 👔

Welcome to Lille, Davide 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/FEJqosoPch

— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) June 1, 2026

Leading les dogues into the Champions League

Taking his place on the bench, Ancelotti is part of a rich tradition of foreign managers at the club, with the likes of Paulo Fonseca, Marcelo Bielsa and José Arribas having previously been at the helm. Sporting director Olivier Létang -- who had worked with Carlo at Paris Saint-Germain -- described Ancelotti's appeal thus: 

"He is a young, dynamic, and corporate-minded coach who does not hesitate to give young players a chance and help them develop." Given the emergence of talents like Ayyoub Bouaddi, Nathan Ngoy and Mathias Fernandez-Pardo of late, the Italian's proclivity for youth could be a boon to Les Dogues, as he looks to lead what he calls "a serious club, one with ambition" into what could be a landmark season.

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