Analysis: defeat exposes Brazil's frailties, raises Cup doubts | OneFootball

Brazil disappointed and was beaten by France in last Thursday’s friendly in Boston, United States. The match made it clear that the national team is still a few steps below the World Cup favorites and leaves many questions just before the World Cup.

The first half was dominated by the French. Didier Deschamps’ team made full use of the quality of forwards Mbappé, Olise and Dembélé, taking advantage of the space Brazil left at the edge of the box to control possession and face little trouble defensively.

Brazil defended well and did not allow France to break through at the back, but struggled with its lack of attacking production. Vinícius Júnior, Martinelli, Raphinha and Matheus Cunha, all on an off day, were very quiet.

The setup with four forwards, in fact, was nowhere near effective. The system exposed Brazil’s midfielders, Casemiro and Andrey Santos, who had to cover a lot of ground to close spaces and reduce the huge gap between Brazil’s midfield and attack.

The strategy had even worked against weaker national teams, but it is clear that against stronger sides, it will not click.

Slight improvement in the second half

The second half of the friendly showed some improvement from Brazil. The Brazilian pressure increased after Upamecano was sent off just seven minutes in. Even so, not even with an extra man on the field was the national team able to control the game.

France was so well organized that it still looked like an 11-on-11 match. Proof of that came when the Europeans extended their lead on a textbook counterattack. Brazil pulled one back through Bremer and even threatened a brief late surge, but it was not enough.

Is it already time to criticize?

Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival brought new hope to Brazil, but it is fair to say that, about a year after his appointment, the Italian’s work still has not taken off.

He has now managed the national team in nine matches, with four wins, two draws and three defeats — a 51.8% success rate. Not only because of the numbers, but also because of the performances, more is expected from the coach at the World Cup. With just over 70 days until the start of the tournament, he still seems to be searching for his ideal team.

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The national team is now preparing for its final match before the definitive World Cup squad announcement. Next Tuesday, Brazil will face Croatia at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, United States. Kickoff is at 9 p.m. Brasília time.

Brazil national team’s next match

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.