France will take on Brazil in an international friendly today at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, USA, with kickoff set for 2:00 AM Bangladesh time. Ahead of the match, French star Kylian Mbappé spoke to Brazilian outlet Globo and faced an interesting dilemma.

He was asked how people should view the Brazil national team now—whether it belongs more to Vinícius Júnior or Neymar. The question was tricky for Mbappé, as Vinícius is currently his teammate at Real Madrid, while Neymar was his former teammate at Paris Saint-Germain.

Mbappé responded diplomatically, saying both players are important. He added that Vinícius still has room to grow further with the national team, while Neymar remains a special talent.

The French forward then turned to the 2026 World Cup. Neymar has been out of Brazil’s squad for over two years due to recurring injuries and was not included in the latest squad by coach Carlo Ancelotti. With only a couple of friendlies left before the tournament, his World Cup participation remains uncertain.

Despite that, Mbappé remains hopeful. He emphasized that the World Cup is a stage for stars and said he cannot imagine the tournament without Neymar. At the same time, he acknowledged that Ancelotti’s decisions must be respected.

Mbappé also praised Neymar as a game-changing player, saying he learned a lot from playing alongside him and believes the Brazilian will be ready in time.

When asked whether France are favorites against Brazil, Mbappé dismissed the idea. He pointed out that a team with five World Cup titles can never be considered an underdog and described Brazil as the greatest football nation. He added that the match is a valuable opportunity for France to test themselves and prepare for the World Cup under coach Didier Deschamps.

Echoing Vinícius’ earlier comment that there are no “friendly” matches between Brazil and France, Mbappé agreed, saying both teams will compete seriously on the pitch—but remain friends off it.

Finally, Mbappé spoke about working under two top coaches—Deschamps with France and Ancelotti at Real Madrid. He noted that both have very different styles and philosophies, which gives him a unique chance to learn and grow as a player.