Five Things to Know about Brazil

In the second of two warm-up matches prior to Copa América 2024, the U.S. Men's National Team will face Brazil in an international friendly at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Fla. on Wednesday, June 12 at 7 p.m. ET. (TNT, TruTV, Telemundo, Universo, Max, Peacock, FDP Radio).

The Americans are coming off a 5-1 loss to Colombia in Landover, Md. on Saturday, June 8, while Brazil recorded a dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico in College Station, Texas that same night. After Mexico equalized two minutes into stoppage time, 17-year-old Brazilian forward Endrick scored the game-winner four minutes later.

The Americans enter the contest with an 11-game losing streak against their South American foes, which dates back 26 years to 1998.

After Wednesday’s friendly, the USMNT will compete in Copa América 2024, set to be held across the United States. Drawn into Group C, they’ll play Bolivia in Arlington, Texas on June 23, Panama in Atlanta on June 27, and Uruguay in Kansas City, Mo. on July 1.

In Group D, Brazil will take on Costa Rica in Los Angeles on June 24, Paraguay in Las Vegas on June 28, and Colombia in Santa Clara, Calif. on July 2.

FOOTBALLING HISTORY

Brazil is synonymous with soccer success. If there is a tournament, the Brazilians traditionally are rated one of the favorites, given their reputation and ability to acquire trophies. They became the first country to win five World Cups (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002), reaching the final on two other occasions and finishing third twice. They also have taken victory laps with the Copa América trophy nine times (1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007, 2019), while securing runner-up spots a dozen times. At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the South American side was eliminated by Croatia in the quarterfinals, losing in a shootout, 4-2, after playing to a 1-1 draw. Brazil also has won the FIFA Confederations Cup on four occasions (1997, 2005, 2009, 2013).

Some of the world's greatest players have played for the Seleçao, including the legendary Pele, Carlos Alberto, Ronaldo, Zico, Socrates, Romario, Bebeto, and Roberto Carlos, among countless others. Defender Cafu is the all-time caps leader (142), followed by Neymar (128), who is the National Team's career goal-scoring leader (79). Pele is next with 77.

USMNT VS. BRAZIL

The Americans have recorded a 1-18-0 mark against the Brazilians all-time. In their first meeting, the USA dropped a 4-3 decision in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Aug. 17, 1930 the team's journey home from the very first World Cup in Uruguay (the Americans reached the semifinals before losing to eventual runners-up Argentina, 6-1). In the friendly in front of 16,500 fans at Estadio das Laranjeiras, Brazil grabbed a two-goal advantage behind goals by Preguinho (sixth minute) and Carvalho Leite (27th minute). Bert Patenaude connected for the first of his brace on the half hour, but Doca restored the hosts' two-goal margin in the 41st minute. Theopilo made it 4-1 in the 63rd minute. The USMNT battled back to close within goals by Billy Gonsalves (76th minute) and Patenaude (84th minute).

In the Round of 16 at the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Brazil recorded a 1-0 win before a packed house (84,117) at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, Calif. on July 4, exactly six years to the date the USA was awarded the tournament. The Americans enjoyed a man advantage for half the match as defender Leonardo was red carded for elbowing midfielder Tab Ramos in the face in the 45th minute. Ramos suffered a fractured skull. Despite playing a man down, the Brazilians scored off a Bebeto goal in the 74th minute, en route to their fifth world championship.

The USMNT produced its lone win of the series, a 1-0 victory in the Concacaf Gold Cup semifinals at the L.A. Coliseum on Feb. 10, 1998. Only five minutes after he entered the match, Preki tallied the lone goal in the 65th minute. Goalkeeper Kasey Keller produced several dazzling saves, including frustrating Romario several times on breakaways.

Since then, the U.S. has lost 11 consecutive times to its South American counterparts, including four defeats in the FIFA Confederations Cup (1999, 2003, and 2009 twice). The USMNT arguably played its most memorable 120 minutes of that competition at the 2009 tournament in South Africa. The team had upset Spain, the top-ranked side in the world, 2-0 in the semifinals, and grabbed a 2-0 halftime lead over Brazil in the final on the strength of goals by Clint Dempsey (10th minute) and Landon Donovan (27th minute). The Brazilians, however, rallied behind Luis Fabiano (46th and 74th minutes) and Lucio (84th minute) to post a 3-2 victory in Johannesburg.

In their most recent encounter, Brazil defeated the USA 2-0 in an international friendly at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 7, 2018, as Roberto Firmino (11th minute) and Neymar (penalty kick in the 44th minute) scored.

MANAGER

Dorival Junior took over the coaching reins on Jan. 5 after Fernando Diniz was sacked due to several lackluster results in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying.

Known as Junior during his playing days, Dorival Junior enjoyed a 17-year career as a defensive midfielder for 13 clubs. His longest stints were with Palmeiras and Juventude in Brazilian Serie A. Junior never played with the National Team.

In a coaching career that began in 2002, Junior has directed several important high-level teams in Brazil, including Sporting Recife, Coritiba, Vasco da Gama, Flamengo, Santos, Palmeiras, and Sao Paulo, among many others.

Junior, 62, has coached Brazil three times so far en route to a 2-0-1 record, with all of those matches having taken place on the road. That includes pair of friendlies - a 1-0 win at England on March 23 and a 3-3 draw at Spain on March 26 - and the 3-2 victory over Mexico on Saturday, June 8.

RECENT MATCHES

After beginning its qualifying run for the 2026 FIFA World Cup unbeaten at 2-0-1, Brazil dropped three games in a row, which prompted the firing of manager Fernando Diniz.

The South Americans started off strong with a 5-1 home triumph over Bolivia on Sept. 8, 2023. Rodygo (24th and 53rd minutes) and Neymar (61st and three minutes into second-half injury time) led the way with braces and Raphinha added a single tally (47th minute). Four days later in Lima, Peru, they edged out the hosts on Marquinhos' 90th-minute goal.

The Brazilians' woes started in a 1-1 home draw with Venezuela on Oct. 12. Gabriel gave them a 1-0 lead in the 50th minute, but Eduard Bello stunned the hosts with an 85th-minute equalizer.

Then came the losing streak. Uruguay posted a 2-0 home win on Oct. 17. Brazil dropped a 2-1 decision at Colombia on Nov. 16, after grabbing a fourth-minute lead on Martinelli's score. Luis Diaz erased that margin with a brace in the 75th and 79th minutes. Back home in Rio de Janeiro against Argentina on Nov. 21, the team's struggles continued with a 1-0 defeat as Nicolas Otamendi found the net for the visitors in the 63rd minute.

In Junior's first game in charge against England at Wembley Stadium, on March 23, 2024, the Brazilians recorded a 1-0 win on Endrick's 80th-minute goal. The match three days later in Madrid, Spain was a goal fest that finished in a 3-3 deadlock. The Spaniards grabbed a two-goal lead on goals by Rodri (12th minute) and Dani Olmo (36th minute) before the visitors stormed back behind scores by Rodrygo (40th minute) and Endrick (50th minute). Spain retook the lead on Rodri's second goal of the encounter in the 87th minute. Lucas Paqueta, however, equalized six minutes into stoppage time.

On Saturday, June 8, Brazil defeated Mexico 3-2 in an international friendly in College Station, Texas. The South American side grabbed a two-goal advantage on goals by Andreas Pereira (fifth minute), his first international tally, and Martinelli (54th minute) before the Mexicans stormed back. Julian Quinones sliced the lead in half in the 73rd minute, and Guillermo Martinez knotted it up at 2-2 two minutes into injury time. That set up 17-year-old Endrick scoring the game-winner from 12 yards six minutes into added time.

ROSTER

Manager Dorival Junior called in 26 players for the two friendlies, with only four who perform domestically. The majority of the squad competes in Europe, with eight in the English Premier League and another six in Spain's La Liga. The team has one uncapped player - goalkeeper Rafael.

Endrick, a 17-year-old forward who will join Real Madrid from Palmeiras this summer, could be the next big thing from Brazil. The youngest player and only teenager on the roster, Enrick has scored three goals in five appearances. His most recent goal was the stoppage-time winner in the 3-2 friendly triumph over Mexico on Saturday, June 8. He was given the No. 9 shirt by Junior, a strong hint at what plans his manager has for him. Endrick enjoyed a strong 2023 Brazilian Serie A season (11 goals in 31 matches). When he made his international debut in the 2-1 away loss to Colombia on Nov. 16, 2023, Endrick became the fourth youngest player to compete for his country.

Rafael, who guards the goal for Sao Paulo, is the oldest player at 34.

Defender Marquinhos has the most international experience with 84 caps, followed by goalkeeper Alisson (63), team captain and defender Danilo (56) and midfielder Lucas Paqueta (44).

Paqueta, who plays for West Ham United, has tallied the most international goals (10). No one else on this roster is in double digits. Marquinhos is next with seven scores.

Forward Gabriel Martinelli has scored 21 goals for Arsenal (English Premier League) the last two seasons, six in 2023-24 and a career-high 15 in the 2022-23 campaign.

Neymar, who is recuperating from an ACL tear that he suffered during a FIFA World Cup qualifier in a 2-0 loss to Uruguay on Oct. 18, 2023, was not selected to the roster.

Three Brazilians will be quite familiar to USMNT players. Defenders Danilo, the team captain, and Bremer are teammates of Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah on Juventus (Italy). Midfielder Andreas Pereira is a teammate of USA defenders Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson on Fulham.

BRAZIL ROSTER BY POSITION

GOALKEEPERS (3): Bento (Athletico Paranaense; 2/0), Rafael (Sao Paulo; 0/0), Alisson (Liverpool/ENG; 64/0)

DEFENDERS (9): Danilo (Juventus/ITA; 56/1), Yan Couto (Girona/ESP; 4/0), Guilherme Arana (Atletico Mineiro; 7/0), Wendell (Porto/POR; 2/0), Lucas Beraldo (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 2/0), Eder Militao (Real Madrid/ESP; 31/2), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal/ENG; 6/1), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 84/7), Bremer (Juventus/ITA; 5/0)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Andreas Pereira (Fulham/ENG; 4/1), Joao Gomes (Wolverhampton/ENG; 3/0), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle/ENG; 21/1), Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa/ENG; 14/0), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham/ENG; 45/10), Ederson (Atalanta/ITA; 1/0); Pepe (Porto/POR; 2/0)

FORWARDS (7): Endrick (Palmeiras; 5/3), Evanilson (Porto/POR; 1/0), Rodrygo (Real Madrid/ESP; 22/5) Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal/ENG; 10/2, Raphinha (Barcelona/ESP; 22/6), Savio (Girona/ESP; 21), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid/ESP; 29/3)