On Thursday evening at 9 p.m. French time, the French team will face Brazil in Foxborough, south of Boston, in a friendly match ahead of the 2026 World Cup. For this game, Didier Deschamps is expected to once again use four offensive players.
A mini American tour to prepare for the 2026 World Cup. This Thursday, March 26, the French team begins its preparation for the World Cup by facing Brazil in a friendly match, before facing Colombia on Sunday (9 p.m. French time). These two matches should allow Didier Deschamps to involve as many players as possible.
On Thursday, in goal, Mike Maignan is expected to earn his 38th cap in blue against Brazil. In defense, the quartet of Gusto-Upamecano-Konate-Theo Hernandez should start.
Mbappé to start but with limited playing time
Al-Hilal’s player should be preferred to Lucas Digne. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Adrien Rabiot could be paired in the heart of the game. It is especially in the offensive sector where the Blues will deploy most of their assets. Ousmane Dembélé is expected to be paired with Michael Olise and Désiré Doué. But the positioning of the Ballon d’Or winner will be closely watched as he is used to playing in the center at Paris.
The use of Kylian Mbappé will also be watched. The captain of the French team will have playing time at Gillette Stadium, but he should not play the entire match. A playing time of about an hour is mentioned. “He can start, not play the whole match. He can come in, like the other 24 players. He is part of this reflection. Each player has a particular situation,” Didier Deschamps told the media yesterday.
Probable lineup for the Blues against Brazil:
Maignan – Gusto, Upamecano, Konate, T.Hernandez – Tchouaméni, Rabiot – Dembélé, Olise, Doué – Mbappé.
Author: Arthur Perrot, Florent Germain, and Jean-Louis Tourre, in Boston (United States)
