France strengthened their preparations ahead of the upcoming World Cup with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Brazil, as Kylian Mbappe moved to within touching distance of a historic national milestone.
The France national football team captain opened the scoring with a composed chipped finish past Ederson in the first half at Gillette Stadium, setting the tone in a glamour friendly against Brazil national football team.
Despite being reduced to 10 men early in the second half following the dismissal of Dayot Upamecano, France extended their advantage through Hugo Ekitike, who finished calmly midway through the half.
Brazil responded late on, with Gleison Bremer converting from close range, but it proved insufficient as Didier Deschamps’ side held on for victory.
The result will be particularly encouraging for coach Didier Deschamps, with Mbappe returning to form after a recent injury layoff. The Real Madrid forward now has 56 goals in 95 appearances for France—just one shy of the all-time record held by Olivier Giroud.
France’s attacking lineup also featured Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, underlining their depth heading into the tournament, where they will face Senegal, Norway and a play-off winner in the group stage.
For Brazil, now under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti, the defeat highlighted areas for improvement despite missing several key players. The five-time world champions will be aiming to regroup quickly as they continue their preparations, with another friendly scheduled against Croatia.
Mbappe will have an immediate opportunity to equal—or surpass—Giroud’s long-standing record when France take on Colombia in their next fixture in the United States.