France, Brazil to measure progress

France and Brazil will use Wednesday’s friendly in Paris to gauge how far they have progressed since their failed 2010 World Cup campaigns.

Brazil endured a disappointing World Cup by their lofty standards, with the five-time champions eliminated in the quarter-finals by eventual runners-up the Netherlands, while France fared even worse, failing to progress beyond the group stages.

France coach Raymond Domenech lost his job as a result of the display, and his replacement, Laurent Blanc, who has three wins from his four Euro 2012 qualifiers in charge, is keen to see how far they have come.

“Brazil evokes good memories for France and the French team. We knocked them out three times in (World Cup) final phases,” Blanc said.

“But things have changed a lot, it is a different time now, we are not in 1986, 1998 or 2006. We are still under construction, they are too.”

“I think they have an advantage, or a head start on us at the moment.”

The Brazil squad is made up exclusively of players based in Europe, with coach Mano Menezes, who replaced Dunga after the 2010 World Cup, claiming the home-based players would be short of match fitness given they are in the midst of their off-season.

Manchester United midfielder Anderson, 22, said the young Brazilian squad selected by Menezes was an exciting sign for the future.

“We both have a young team, not just Brazil, like France. England, France everyone needed a new team after the World Cup. In Brazil we needed new players,” he said.

Despite the lack of Brazil-based players in the team, Blanc has no doubts his side will face a competitive outfit at the Stade de France.

“People are saying, ‘Brazil today, we don’t know them’,” he said.

“Well yes, if you aren’t interested in football, but the team which will be announced tomorrow, you will know them all.”

“Why? Because there is one who plays for Inter, one who plays for Barcelona, one who plays for Chelsea, another who plays for AC Milan, one who plays for Liverpool, a second one for Chelsea.”

“There is one who plays for Fenerbahce, and Fenerbahce is a big team too. Pato who plays for AC Milan and so on and so on,” Blanc said.

“They haven’t proved themselves yet because they are still under construction and they are young players, but when players like that have won titles, then we will know them all. And we already know them, amateur football fans already know them.”