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Davide Ancelotti has formally reached an agreement to take charge of French Ligue 1 side Lille, marking his second independent head coaching assignment. The former Real Madrid assistant will step into the position vacated by Bruno Genesio, whose contract at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy expired at the end of May.

Lille have completed the necessary arrangements to confirm Ancelotti’s appointment as head coach following Genesio’s departure, according to RMC Sport. Despite guiding Les Dogues to a third-place finish in the French top flight and ensuring direct qualification for the Champions League, Genesio decided to part ways with the club. The incoming 36-year-old Italian coach brings valuable international experience and returns to European football after a notable coaching stint in South America.

Reports from MARCA indicate that Lille’s management have finalised all discussions with Ancelotti, with only an official announcement pending. Fluent in French and well-versed in the league’s environment, Davide previously worked as a fitness coach under his father Carlo Ancelotti at Paris Saint-Germain between 2012 and 2013. This familiarity with French football culture and language positions him perfectly to lead Lille into their next phase of development.

This appointment represents another major step in Davide’s coaching journey. He departs from his previous role as head coach at Botafogo but remains committed to his ongoing duties as assistant coach for the Brazilian national team.

During his tenure with the Brazilian club, he recorded 15 wins, 10 draws, and eight losses across 33 matches before joining the Selecao staff in March 2026. At Lille, Ancelotti will take charge of the only French club to have disrupted Paris Saint-Germain’s dominance since 2018, famously lifting the Ligue 1 title in 2021.

Now, Ancelotti faces an immediate challenge as he prepares Lille for the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League season. He will work with key players such as promising forward Matias Fernandez-Pardo, who recently earned a senior call-up for Belgium. The young coach must also oversee an important summer transfer window to strengthen the squad and maintain Lille’s momentum as they aim to close the gap on champions PSG and continue their competitive run at both domestic and European levels.