Brazil’s Swedish head coach, Pia Sundhage, says a full house at Wembley Stadium when her players face England in the Finalissima on Thursday will be an ideal test ahead of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia in July and August.
“We have a little bit of an inexperienced team,” conceded Sundhage, for whom defender Rafaelle Souza will encounter Arsenal teammate and England captain Leah Williamson.
“If you look at our squad, we don’t have many who have played at the World Cup. So this will be fantastic to see how they deal with a big crowd against a good team. Every game is a teacher and we have a chance to learn something.”
Here’s the lowdown on England vs Brazil in the Finalissima as the women’s European and South American champions meet in a scheduled fixture for the first time.
England vs Brazil: What is the Finalissima?
The concept was introduced in 2022, partly in a bid to strengthen links between European football administrative body UEFA and their South American counterparts, CONMEBOL.
Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to thrash Italy 3-0 at Wembley in the men’s Finalissima that year, and now England — taking part as winners of EURO 2022 — will host Copa America Femenina champions Brazil.
For the Lionesses, the game is a return to the setting…
