With a blend of youth and experience, England’s coach Gareth Southgate is gearing up for the friendly matches against Brazil and Belgium, as part of the team’s preparations for the 2024 European Cup.

England’s national team is set to face Brazil on the 23rd of this month, followed by a match against Belgium on the 26th. The squad has seen the return of Ivan Toney from Brentford and the inclusion of Jarrad Branthwaite from Everton for the first time.

The squad also sees the return of Liverpool defender Joe Gomez for the first time in four years, along with the inclusion of Chelsea player Cole Palmer, who has shown brilliance during the current season.

It is clear that Southgate will rely heavily on young players in the next stage, as he has also called up young Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo to the squad of the Three Lions national team.

Mainoo (18 years old) is considered one of United’s brightest young stars. He is having a wonderful season with the Red Devils, where he has established himself in the midfield, playing 20 matches this season in various competitions. He was rewarded with a promotion to the first team squad, which is preparing to compete in the European Cup next summer in Germany. He was initially called up to the England U-21 national team a few days ago.

However, the English team will face a real test against the optimistic Brazilian squad. The technical change in the head of the coaching staff through the appointment of coach Dorival Junior aims to revive the five-time world champions, who are currently experiencing a state of stagnation.

Dorival Junior will undergo a baptism of fire against two great teams: England at Wembley on Saturday, then Spain on the 26th.

Dorival Junior, who coached Neymar’s at the beginning of his career with Santos, was appointed last January after the dismissal of Fernando Diniz; Diniz who combined the jobs of national team coach and Fluminense coach.

Brazil, aiming for their sixth World Cup title and their first since 2002, have experienced a series of disappointing performances since their quarter-final exit in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They are currently ranked sixth in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, having lost three out of six matches in these qualifiers.

Dorival, aged 61, is relying on the talents of Real Madrid’s striker Vinicius Junior, who has been shining in his team’s squad this season. However, in a spotlight was a statement by Brazilian legend Zico, who considered Vinicius a technical leader rather than a leader in the locker room. Zico said, “Even if he is not a leader, he is already a leader for everything he stands for. But I think that for now, we should allow him to express himself on the field and entrust the leadership of the team to a more experienced player.”

The statement came following the absence of Paris Saint-Germain’s defender Marquinhos and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro, who were both captains of the Brazilian national team last year. However, they will miss the two friendly matches due to injury. The new coach has not yet revealed the player who will wear the captain’s armband.

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