Spain brace for Brazil at Bernabeu

The iconic Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid will host a mouth-watering FIFA friendly as five-time world champions Brazil take on hosts Spain on Wednesday. 

Spain come into the contest on the back of a 1-0 shock against Colombia at the London Stadium as they ramp up preparations for the European championships in June, while Brazil, who have two more friendlies against Mexico and USA respectively before beginning the Copa America with a clash against Costa Rica on June 25, are fresh off a 1-0 win over England at the Wembley Stadium on Saturday. 

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Spain's defeat at the hands of Colombia came as a surprise as the La Roja won seven of their eight matches in the Euro 2024 qualifiers, topping Group A with 21 points. They begin their campaign this summer against Croatia on June 15. De la Fuente's side were pitted in Group B along with reigning European champions Italy and Albania in the tournament they won three times (1964, 2008, 2012), joint-most with Germany. 

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This will be Spain's first clash with Brazil since the Confederations Cup in 2013, when the South Americans ran out 3-0 winners, while the last friendly between the two nations finished 0-0 in November 1999. The two sides met nine times overall. Brazil has five wins to their name and La Roja have two, while as many ended in draws.

Brazil's Dorival Jr made couldn't have hoped for a better start as manager. The win put a stop to Brazil's three-match losing streak (against Uruguay, Colombia, and Argentina respectively) in their last three 2026 World Cup qualification matches. 

Brazil are sixth in their South American qualifying group for the 2026 World Cup after a slump in form that cost Fernando Diniz his job as manager this year.

Brazil secured the victory courtesy of an 80th-minute winner by 17-year-old substitute Endrick who became the youngest male player to score in a senior international or club match at Wembley. The forward is set to join Real Madrid this summer from Palmeiras and will get the chance to get a taste of the atmosphere at the Bernabeu on Wednesday.

After clinching a ninth Copa America title in 2019, Brazil lost the 2021 final 1-0 to archrivals Argentina.