France beat Brazil 2-1 with a spectacular goal from Kylian Mbappé, reminiscent of the samba moves of Ronaldo in his prime.
Mbappe's stage
Under the humid Massachusetts air, Kylian Mbappe stole the spotlight in a performance that seemed tailor-made to celebrate himself, and to reaffirm that Brazil is still a long way from reaching the stature that the jersey demands.
Carlo Ancelotti did everything he could with a generation that was better than excellent. A team that relied more on emotion than reason. France won, even though they didn't do anything particularly special.
Didier Deschamps' team displayed solidity, organization, and especially a killer instinct. Thanks to Mbappe, who has returned, and returned in a powerful way. He's a leader, explosive, and a goalscorer. He's taken flight after weeks sidelined by injury at Real Madrid.
It wasn't a memorable performance. Gillette Stadium, the home ground of the New England Patriots (American football club), witnessed a game with more lows than highs.
The sparks of electricity flickered only occasionally. But what everyone was waiting for finally arrived: Mbappe's roar.
He hadn't scored in 46 days, and hadn't started a game in the same amount of time. He was no longer himself after being caught in a media storm, related to Real Madrid's medical team mistakenly examining the wrong leg, leading to difficulties in treating the injury.
A spectacular burst of speed, a few tense seconds, and a lob that left Ederson rooted to the spot. The goal was so impressive it embarrassed the opposing defense.
For the Canarinha fans in the stands, Mbappe's wonder goal was reminiscent of the scoring style of legendary Ronaldo Nazario in his prime. The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles danced the samba.
A decisive blow in a match where Vinicius was almost invisible. With Raphinha leaving the field in the first half, it further showed that France, though not brilliant, was still France. And Brazil at this moment was no longer Brazil.
Experiment
Both teams have makeshift defenses. Brazil has virtually no players who promise to be starters at the 2026 World Cup . Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhaes, Alex Sandro, Eder Militao, Vanderson, and first-choice goalkeeper Alisson are absent. France is missing Saliba. Along with Ousmane Dembele and Mbappe, they form an attack that strikes fear into opponents.
Both teams lacked a central playmaker. Brazil reflected this more clearly. Ancelotti experimented with Vinicius as a striker, partnering him with Cunha. Gabriel Martinelli played behind him, while Raphinha was on the right wing.
The two "monsters" of the World Cup are gradually revealing themselves: they prefer a direct style of play rather than possession. They don't run, they fly. Both teams rely more on individual moments than on collective harmony.
That sometimes brings success, but it's difficult to sustain, especially in Brazil. There's a lack of playmakers, a lack of brains. Casemiro tries to shoulder the burden, but he can't do everything.
Brazil relies on getting the ball quickly to their stars and hoping they can create a miracle. A formula with a relatively low ceiling.
The match unfolded in a fairly simple manner. France controlled possession almost instinctively, while Brazil attempted counter-attacks whenever they had the ball – something rarely seen. After a dull first 30 minutes, during which neither team had even broken a sweat before the water break, the game suddenly exploded.
Mbappe, despite having few touches, showed that football isn't about quantity but quality. One chance, one goal. Speed and sharpness.
Massachusetts exploded onto the scene, while Ancelotti was powerless against the defensive errors of Leo Pereira – the center-back making his debut at the age of 30. Brazil, already fragile, became even more "soft as jelly".
At the start of the second half, Brazil made a change. For about 10 minutes, they put immense pressure on France, forcing them to defend desperately. Then the turning point occurred: Upamecano fouled Cunha. The referee initially showed a yellow card, but after reviewing VAR, decided to change it to a direct red card.
It seemed like an opportunity for Brazil, but the reality was the opposite. Playing with 10 men, they performed worse. Then they conceded a goal: France counter-attacked, Olise broke through as if there were no defenders, threading a pass into the penalty area for Ekitike to score with a delicate lob. Simple, effortless, and effective.
Mbappe left the field in the 66th minute, showing no signs of injury, to the applause of the crowd. Mission accomplished.
The final minutes saw a fighting spirit from Brazil. Bremer's goal to reduce the deficit was not enough, as Vinicius, wearing the captain's armband, squandered an opportunity in injury time.