Brazil set for two huge friendlies ahead of the World Cup | OneFootball

The Brazil National Team has confirmed two major friendlies: they will face France on March 26 in Boston, and five days later, Croatia in Orlando, as preparation for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced this Friday.

The Canarinha will take on the team led by Kylian Mbappé at the Gillette Stadium in Boston (United States), where seven matches of the upcoming World Cup will be held.

If there are no injuries, it will be a great opportunity to see Vinícius Júnior and Mbappé, stars of Real Madrid, go head-to-head. France were champions in Russia 2018 and finalists in Qatar 2022, where they lost to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

On March 31, the team managed by Carlo Ancelotti will play against Croatia at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, where there is a large Brazilian community.

With an experienced group led by Luka Modric, former Real Madrid player and now with AC Milan, Croatia were finalists in the 2018 World Cup in Russia and finished third four years later.

In fact, Croatia was Brazil’s executioner in Qatar, when the team then led by Neymar fell on penalties in the quarterfinals.

The five-time world champions’ base for the two friendlies against France and Croatia will be the ‘ESPN Complex’ in Orlando, where the players will stay and train.

“These will be two top-level matches, against two world-class teams,” said Rodrigo Caetano, general coordinator of the Brazilian men’s national teams, in a statement.

In the draw for the final phase of the 2026 World Cup held last December 5 in Washington, Brazil was placed in Group C along with Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti.

The Canarinha will play the first phase of the World Cup on U.S. soil, with Mexico and Canada also hosting matches.

Ancelotti’s team will debut on June 13 against Morocco in New Jersey, then face Haiti on June 19 in Philadelphia, and Scotland five days later in Miami.

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