FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – France secured a 2-1 victory over Brazil in a compelling international friendly at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, but the win was marred by a controversial red card issued to Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano. The match, a key tune-up for both nations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, saw Kylian Mbappé open the scoring for France, with Hugo Ekitiké adding a second before a late goal from Bremer narrowed the gap for Brazil.
The pivotal moment of the match arrived in the 55th minute. Initially shown a yellow card for a challenge on Brazil’s Wesley, the decision was swiftly upgraded to a straight red card following a VAR review. The referee deemed Upamecano’s challenge a denial of a goal-scoring opportunity, leaving France to play the majority of the second half with ten men. This means Upamecano will miss France’s upcoming friendly against Colombia, offering him a chance to rest ahead of the crucial club season with Bayern Munich.
The moment of the red card: Dayot Upamecano (27) is sent off after a VAR review.
Despite being a man down, France demonstrated resilience and tactical discipline. Mbappé had place Les Bleus ahead in the 32nd minute with a beautifully executed chip, and Ekitiké extended the lead in the 65th minute, capitalizing on a swift counter-attack orchestrated by Michael Olise and finished by a cool strike from Liverpool’s Hugo Ekitiké. Brazil, playing without Neymar, managed to pull one back through Bremer in the 78th minute, setting up a tense final ten minutes, but France held on for the win.
The victory is a positive sign for France as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Mbappé’s goal brings him to 56 international goals, just one shy of Olivier Giroud’s all-time record for France. The match provided valuable experience and a test of character for Didier Deschamps’ squad, particularly in navigating a significant portion of the game with a numerical disadvantage.
European World Cup Qualifying Playoff Picture
Beyond the friendly in Foxborough, Thursday similarly saw crucial developments in the European qualifying playoffs for the 2026 World Cup. Bosnia and Herzegovina advanced to the playoff final, largely thanks to a heroic performance from goalkeeper Vasilj, who saved a penalty in the shootout. Schalke’s Vedad Dzeko continued his remarkable international scoring streak, finding the net for the 20th consecutive year for his country, securing an equalizer before the penalty shootout. They will now face Italy, who comfortably defeated Northern Ireland 2-0.
Poland also progressed, albeit with a nervy 2-1 victory over Albania, despite a goalkeeping error from Bednarek. Robert Lewandowski scored to level the match, sending Poland through to a final against Sweden. Turkey secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against Romania, while Kosovo kept their hopes of reaching their first-ever World Cup alive with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Slovakia, setting up a clash with Turkey. The final European playoff matchup will see the Czech Republic, after a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Ireland, grab on Denmark, who were dominant in their 4-0 victory over North Macedonia.
Bolivia and Jamaica Advance in Intercontinental Playoffs
In the intercontinental playoffs, Bolivia defeated Suriname 2-1, while Jamaica secured a narrow 1-0 victory over New Caledonia. Both teams are now one win away from qualifying for the World Cup. Bolivia will face Iraq, and Jamaica will take on the Democratic Republic of the Congo in their respective final qualifying matches. The Democratic Republic of the Congo hasn’t appeared in a World Cup since 1974.
France will next face Colombia in a friendly on March 29th. This match will provide another opportunity for Deschamps to assess his squad and fine-tune his tactics ahead of the World Cup. Fans can follow official updates and further analysis on the French Football Federation’s website ([https://www.fff.fr/](https://www.fff.fr/)).
The red card to Upamecano certainly adds a talking point to an otherwise positive result for France. It remains to be seen how this incident will impact his role in the squad moving forward, but the team’s ability to secure a win even while shorthanded demonstrates their depth and resilience. The road to the 2026 World Cup is well underway, and these matches are providing a crucial glimpse into the form and potential of the competing nations.
