Brazil look to end France hoodoo

With the Selecao set to face Les Bleus in Paris on Thursday, Brasil Global Tour takes a look back at some famous meetings between the two countries

Brazil meet an old foe on Thursday at the Stade de France as the Chevrolet Brasil Global Tour resumes for 2015. Dunga has led the side to six consecutive victories since World Cup 2014, but that 100 per cent record will be put to the test against an opponent who have held the upper hand over Brazil over the past 30 years, particularly at World Cups.

The recent spell of French domination began in 1986 when Tele Santana’s side lost to Les Bleus on penalties, continued through the World Cup final of 1998 when Zinedine Zidane put the Selecao to the sword and showed no sign of letting up in 2006 when Thierry Henry eliminated Carlos Alberto Parreira’s men.

Brazil and France have met 15 times, the first coming way back in 1930. There have been six wins for Brazil, five for France and four draws. The last time the two teams faced each other was in 2013, in a friendly match in Porto Alegre. Brazil won 3-0 on that occasion with goals from Oscar, Hernanes and Lucas.

Below, Brasil Global Tour takes a look back at some of the more memorable clashes between these two great footballing nations.

BRAZIL 0 - 1 - FRANCE - 1/7/2006

Competition: World Cup quarter-final Venue: WM Stadion (Frankfurt, Germany) Referee: Luis Medida Cantalejo (Spain) Goals: Thierry Henry Brazil: Dida, Cafu (Cicinho), Lucio, Juan, Roberto Carlos, Gilberto Silva, Juninho Pernambucano (Adriano), Kaka (Robinho), Ze Roberto, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo. France: Barthez, Sagnol, Thuram, Gallas, Abidal, Ribery (Govou), Vieira, Makelele, Zidane, Malouda (Wiltord), Henry (Saha)

After defeating Brazil in the final of World Cup 1998, Les Bleus were again the scourge of the Selecao in 2006. In the quarter-finals of the tournament in Germany, Zidane made the difference with a vintage performance.

To this day Henry’s 56th-minute winner is a point of debate in Brazil, with the fans blaming Roberto Carlos for failing to follow the Frenchman into the area as Zidane sent in a deep free-kick.

Brazil exited the tournament under heavy criticism from the media. After the match against France, Parreira admitted their exit was down to a lack of overall fitness after suggestions they underperformed throughout their time in Germany.

BRAZIL 0 - 3 FRANCE - 12/7/1998

Competition: World Cup final Venue: Stade de France (Saint-Denis, France) Referee: Said Belqola (Morocco) Goals: Zidane (2) & Petit Brazil:  Taffarel, Cafu, Aldair, Junior Baiano, Roberto Carlos, Cesar Sampaio (Edmundo), Dunga, Rivaldo, Leonardo (Denilson), Bebeto, Ronaldo France: Barthez, Thuram, Leboeuf, Desailly, Lizarazu, Petit, Deschamps, Karembeu (Boghossian), Zidane, Djorkaeff (Vieira), Guivarc'h (Dugarry)

Brazil reached the final of the 1998 World Cup looking to retain their title for a second time (a feat they achieved in 1958 and 1962) after Dunga had captained the side to victory in USA four years earlier. Spurred on by a dramatic semi-final against the Dutch, Mario Zagallo’s team came into the game as favourites, inspired by an unstoppable Ronaldo who had hit four goals en route to the final.

But they were outplayed on the day as Zidane headed home two bullet headers before Emmanuel Petit charged forward to add a third and hand France their first World Cup crown.

The build-up to the match was dominated by an incident involving Ronaldo, who suffered a seizure just hours before kick-off and was provisionally replaced in the side by Edmundo after being rushed to hospital for tests. After getting the medical all-clear, he headed straight to the stadium, just in time to start the game, but was unable to reproduce the glittering form of previous games.

BRAZIL 1 - 1 FRANCE - 21/6/1986

Competition: World Cup quarter-finals Venue:  Estádio Jalisco (Guadalajara, Mexico) Referee:  Ion Igna (Romania) Goals: Careca, Platini Brazil:  Carlos, Josimar, Julio Cesar, Edinho, Branco, Elzo, Alemão, Junio (Silas), Sócrates, Muller (Zico), Careca France: Bats, Manuel Amoros, Battison, Bossis, Thierry Tusseau, Luis Fernández, Tigana, Giresse (Jean-Marc Ferreri), Platini, Rocheteau (Bruno Bellone), Stopyra

The Brazil side that had enchanted the world in 1982 arrived in Mexico refreshed and renewed. Santana had retained some of the superstars such as Socrates, Zico and Junior, and combined them with youngsters Alemao, Careca, Silas and Muller. Adored by the Mexican crowd, the Brazilian team were cheered on as they came up against Michel Platini’s France.

Brazil opened the scoring through Careca and had a chance to secure victory just 17 minutes from time when Branco was brought down in the area by France goalkeeper Joel Bats.

But Zico, who had been kept out of the team with a knee injury, saw his spot-kick saved by Bats just minutes after coming on as a substitute.

Muller and Careca then had chances to win it, but the game ended 1-1 before Socrates and Julio Cesar missed kicks in the penalty shoot-out to send Brazil home.

BRAZIL 5 - 2 FRANCE- 24/6/1958

Competition: World Cup semi-final Venue: Rasunda Stadium (Sweden) Referee Sandy Mervyn Griffiths (Wales) Goals: Vava, Just Fontaine, Didi, Pele (3), Roger Piantoni Brazil: Gilmar, Di Sordi, Bellini, Orlando Peçanha, Nilton Santos, Zito, Didi, Garricha, Vavá, Pelé, Zagallo France Abbès, Kaelbel, Jean-Jacques Marcel, Andre Lerond, Robert Jonquet, Armand Penverne, Kopa, Maryan Wisniek, Just Fontaine, Piantoni, Jean Vicent

The first team to win a world title for Brazil reached the semi-finals with the meanest defence in the competition. However, France had the fiercest attack in Sweden, spearheaded by the unstoppable Just Fontaine, who already had eight goals in the tournament. And it was he who equalised on nine minutes after Vava had given Brazil an early lead.

The masterful Didi put Brazil back in front before a 17-year-old by the name of Pele announced his arrival to the world with a stunning hat-trick that booked the Selecao’s place in the final.