France Beats Brazil 2-1 in World Cup Friendly

France defeated Brazil 2-1 in a closely contested friendly match Thursday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, providing both teams with a valuable tune-up ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Kylian Mbappé, the French forward, opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a precise chipped finish, demonstrating full recovery from a recent knee injury and moving within one goal of France's all-time scoring record.

The game drew a crowd of 66,215, the second-largest for a soccer match at the stadium, which is home to the NFL's New England Patriots. Fans heavily favored Brazil, with yellow kits dominating the stands and only scattered French flags visible after Mbappé's goal. The match unfolded on a newly installed grass surface, replacing the artificial turf to meet FIFA requirements for the upcoming tournament. Gillette Stadium will host France's final group-stage game against Norway and Erling Haaland during the World Cup.

Mbappé, a 2018 World Cup champion and the 2022 tournament's leading scorer, started for France after serving as a substitute in his last two club matches for Real Madrid. He had sprained his left knee in December, playing through January before sitting out...