Is Kylian Mbappe playing? Projected lineups for Brazil vs France friendly game

Brazil and France meet in one of the most intriguing friendlies of the March international window on Thursday, March 26, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. With both nations considered among the favorites for the 2026 World Cup, attention heading into the clash has centered on the availability of Kylian Mbappe.

As reported by L’Equipe, Mbappe is set to start for France against Brazil. The striker declared himself fully recovered from the knee sprain that had limited his involvement in recent matches for Real Madrid, making him available for Les Bleus head coach Didier Deschamps.

“I am happy to be able to feel good again, to feel my knees, and to enjoy myself,” Mbappe said at Wednesday’s pre-match press conference. The plan is for him to start and then be substituted at some point to manage his workload ahead of the second friendly.

Brazil vs France: a remarkably even all-time record

Despite both nations ranking among the most storied programs in the sport, Brazil and France have not crossed paths in several years. When they have met, however, the results have been about as even as it gets between two heavyweight nations.

Across 15 all-time meetings, both countries have claimed six wins apiece, with three matches ending in draws. In terms of the biggest stage, though, France holds the edge, having beaten Brazil 3-0 in the 1998 World Cup final on home soil.

The most recent meeting between the two sides came over a decade ago, when Brazil claimed a 3-1 victory in March 2015. That result also marked the last time the Canarinha came out on top, while France’s most recent win in this fixture dates back 15 years, leaving the overall record delicately balanced heading into Thursday’s clash.

Projected lineups for Brazil and France

Brazil’s projected lineups (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Wesley, Roger Ibanez, Leo Pereira, Douglas Santos; Andrey Santos, Casemiro; Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, Gabriel Martinelli; Vinicius Junior.
Head coach: Carlo Ancelotti.

France’s projected lineups (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan; Malo Gusto, Ibrahima Konate, Dayot Upamecano, Theo Hernandez; Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot; Ousmane Dembele, Rayan Cherki, Michael Olise; Kylian Mbappe.
Head coach: Didier Deschamps.