France defeats Brazil 2-1 in friendly; Vinícius Junior draws criticism
France beat Brazil in a Thursday friendly in Boston, becoming Europe's most successful nation against the Selecão. Vinícius Junior faced scrutiny after a poor performance wearing the number 10 shirt.
11:54 AM
France defeated Brazil 2-1 in a friendly match Thursday in Boston, with Kylian Mbappé opening the scoring for the visitors. The result marked a significant milestone in the teams' rivalry: France became the European nation with the most victories over Brazil in history, recording six wins across 17 meetings—one more than Germany and Italy.
Despite the loss, Brazil maintains an advantage in the overall head-to-head record with seven victories and four draws. However, France has proven particularly troublesome for Brazil in World Cup competition, winning three of four knockout encounters. The French triumphed in the 1998 final with a 3-0 victory, the 2006 quarterfinals by 1-0, and the 1986 quarterfinals on penalties following a 1-1 draw. Zinédine Zidane delivered standout performances in the first two of those victories.
Vinícius Junior, the 25-year-old winger who recently received Brazil's number 10 shirt, drew widespread criticism for his performance in the match. Despite his recent form with Real Madrid—where he has been instrumental in decisive Champions League phases and the Atlético Madrid derby—Vinícius failed to make an impact against France. He was largely contained by French defender Malo Gusto and could not provide the decisive play Brazil needed. The poor showing, amplified by his new shirt number, prompted immediate criticism from media outlets including ESPN Brasil.
France's coach Didier Deschamps left Boston satisfied with the victory but expressed frustration with FIFA's new hydration break protocol for the 2026 World Cup. The three-minute pauses, scheduled for the 22nd minute of each half, drew Deschamps' ire. He argued that interrupting play for three minutes can disrupt rhythm, particularly when a team holds an advantage. Despite this complaint, Deschamps highlighted France's strong first-half performance and the team's resilience in maintaining their lead even after playing with a numerical disadvantage.
Veteran Brazilian sports commentator Galvão Bueno, 75, expressed no alarm over the defeat. He noted that France possesses a strong squad coming off two World Cup finals and benefits from cohesion that Brazil has not yet developed. Bueno observed that France dominated the first half while Brazil controlled the second half. He stated that Brazil's squad is not yet ready but is on the right path under coach Carlo Ancelotti.