Brazil vs. Croatia Friendly in Orlando Preps for 2026 World Cup

Brazil's national football team faces Croatia in an international friendly at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday, with kickoff scheduled for 8 p.m. ET. The match serves as a key preparation step for both sides ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, pitting the five-time champions against the team that eliminated them in the 2022 tournament quarterfinals.

Brazil enters the contest on the heels of a 2-1 defeat to France last week in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Gleison Bremer scored late but goals from Kylian Mbappé and Hugo Ekitiké proved decisive. The loss marked the fourth defeat in Brazil's last six outings, including draws against Japan and Tunisia, despite earlier wins over South Korea and Senegal. Coach Carlo Ancelotti, who took over after the 2022 World Cup exit, has experimented with 10 different starting lineups in as many matches, often deploying a 4-2-4 formation. He confirmed that captain Marquinhos and forward Vinícius Júnior are fit to play after minor injury concerns, while Raphinha remains sidelined with a hamstring issue expected to keep him out for over a month. Ancelotti plans up to five changes from the France lineup, with João Pedro and...