Brazil vs Croatia – News and Probable Lineups

In a bid to gain momentum ahead of their World Cup campaign, Brazil will face Croatia in an international friendly on Tuesday at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

The latest disappointment for the Selecao was a 2-1 defeat against their fellow World Cup rivals, France, while Zlatko Dalic’s side is coming off a 2-1 victory over Colombia in their most recent match.

Match overview

Carlo Ancelotti is yet to cast his Champions League spell over the Brazil national team, as they currently endure a worrying stretch of results, managing only two wins out of their last six fixtures.

Following a shocking 1-0 defeat to Bolivia that concluded a mixed World Cup qualifying campaign, Brazil bounced back with a 5-0 thrashing of South Korea and a 2-0 win over Senegal. However, performances in other matches have been less than satisfactory.

Tunisia managed to secure a 1-1 draw against the Selecao, Japan stunned the five-time world champions with a 3-2 defeat last autumn, and France recently triumphed in Foxborough thanks to goals from Hugo Ekitike and Kylian Mbappe.

While losing to a team with France’s attacking capabilities isn’t disgraceful, Brazil’s aspirations of lifting the World Cup for the first time since 2002 raise the worry of whether they can truly compete with the best.

Brazil’s loss to France was reminiscent of Ancelotti’s debut, but not in a favorable manner, which is an ominous sign before this fixture against one of the strongest national teams currently.

Often labeled as the bridesmaids at recent World Cups and in the 2022-23 Nations League, Croatia have commenced their 2026 campaign similarly to how they wrapped up an almost impeccable 2025, hinting at a potential surprise run in the upcoming tournament.

Long-time head coach Zlatko Dalic led the Chequered Ones to seven wins and one draw in their last eight fixtures of 2025, prior to orchestrating a 2-1 comeback victory over Colombia in Orlando, with Luka Vuskovic and Igor Matanovic leveling the match after Jhon Arias scored in the second minute.

While 40-year-old Luka Modric continues to influence games at AC Milan, 19-year-old Hamburg defender Vuskovic’s rising stock is a bright spot in a challenging season for Tottenham Hotspur.

Croatia is on the verge of securing a fifth consecutive win and enters Tuesday’s friendly having scored at least twice in their last four outings, although these were against teams like Montenegro, the Faroe Islands, and Gibraltar.

The European squad has never bested Brazil in regular time, but their latest clash at the 2022 World Cup ended in jubilation for Dalic and despair for Tite, as Croatia triumphed on penalties to advance to the semi-finals.

Team News

Brazil’s match against France was hindered by the injury of pivotal forward Raphinha, who exited at halftime due to a hamstring issue and is likely to be sidelined for around five weeks.

The former Leeds United winger is among three additional injury concerns for Ancelotti, as Roma right-back Wesley has also been sent home with a thigh problem, while Vinicius Jr is uncertain for the midweek clash due to muscle fatigue.

On a more positive note, captain Marquinhos, who missed the encounter against France, has returned to training following a hip injury and is set to earn his 104th cap for the national team on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Croatia lost backup goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski to injury before their win against Colombia, though Dalic’s squad is otherwise fully fit at present.

Having come off the bench to earn his 195th cap last time out, Modric is expected to be reinstated into the starting XI, leading the team against his former manager.

Fellow veteran Andrej Kramaric, who is having an outstanding season with Bundesliga side Hoffenheim, is also anticipated to return to the lineup, possibly at the expense of Nikola Vlasic.

Brazil probable starting XI:

Ederson; Ibanez, Bremer, Marquinhos, D. Santos; Henrique, A. Santos, Casemiro, Martinelli; Cunha, Pedro

Croatia probable starting XI:

Livakovic; Erlic, Vuskovic, Pongracic; Stanisic, Modric, P. Sucic, Perisic; Mario Pasalic, Kramaric, Baturina

Facing the absence of Raphinha, potentially no Vinicius, and a lack of momentum, Ancelotti’s Brazil may face tough competition against a well-organized and confident Croatia side.

Although Dalic’s players have recently taken on some less formidable nations, a low-scoring draw seems to be the most plausible outcome in this encounter.