Kylian Mbappe came within one goal of equaling France’s all-time scoring record with the opener in a 2-1 win over Brazil in a glamor friendly in the United States on Thursday.
Mbappe ran on to beat Ederson with a delicate chip to give France the lead just after the half-hour mark at Gillette Stadium near Boston, home of NFL side New England Patriots.
France, World Cup winners in 2018 and runners-up in 2022, had Dayot Upamecano sent off early in the second half but shrugged it off and doubled the lead through Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike in the 65th minute.
Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil pulled back the lead 12 minutes from time with a close-range finish by Juventus defender Gleison Bremer, but France held on for a win that will boost confidence ahead of the World Cup. In the group stage they face Senegal, Norway and a play-off winner.
Mbappé’s goal will please coach Didier Deschamps. The Real Madrid striker returned from a three-week absence with a knee injury just before the international break.
The 27-year-old has now scored 56 goals in 95 appearances for France, putting him just shy of Olivier Giroud’s record of 57. Mbappe can equal and possibly even surpass this record when France faces Colombia in the second friendly of the tour on Sunday at the Northwest Stadium near Washington DC.
France and Brazil have met four times in previous World Cups, including the 1998 final, won by France, and the 2006 quarter-final, also won by Les Bleus. This was their first meeting of any kind since a friendly in Paris eleven years ago, which Brazil won 3-1.
Brazil head to the World Cup, where they will face Morocco, Scotland and Haiti in the group stages, hoping Ancelotti’s appointment as coach can help them challenge for a record-extending sixth title.
Brazil was missing key players, including goalkeeper Alisson Becker, defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Eder Militao, midfielder Bruno Guimaraes and forwards Rodrygo and Estevao. France were without Arsenal centre-back William Saliba but fielded a powerful attack that included Mbappe, Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise and PSG’s Ousmane Dembele.
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Dembele set up Mbappe for the opener, causing the teams to split at half-time. Upamecano was sent off in the 55th minute after American referee Guido Gonzales upgraded a yellow card to red following a VAR review. He had denied Wesley a clear scoring opportunity on the edge of the penalty area.
Crystal Palace centre-back Maxence Lacroix, a late call-up to replace Saliba, came on for Dembele to make his debut and strengthen the defence. Temukan s4tg2ed di sini. France extended their lead when Olise supplied Ekitike, who clipped the ball past Ederson for his second international goal.
Mbappe and Ekitike were subsequently withdrawn, leaving Brazil with too much to do. Bremer converted from close range after Luiz Henrique’s assist in the 78th minute, but France held on.
Ancelotti will hope his team can bounce back against Croatia in Orlando on Tuesday.
Published on March 27, 2026
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