Carletto will have work to do — Brazil brought down Senegal, but not Tunisia

Brazil ended its European mini-tour with the kind of impression that won’t leave its supporters particularly pleased with what they saw in the final match of 2025. The curtain-closer for the calendar year lacked a melodic tone, as the five-time world champions managed only a 1–1 draw (1–1) against Tunisia at Pierre-Mauroy Stadium in Lille — in front of thousands of fans born in, or descended from, the North African country and living in France — and just three days after their 2–0 win over Senegal at the Emirates.

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And while this matchup looked on paper like just another routine test for Carlo Ancelotti’s team, for the “Carthage Eagles” it was a long-awaited opportunity — their first-ever chance to avoid defeat against Brazil. And they succeeded.

After Brazil’s 4–1 win in 1973 and 5–1 win in 2022, also in friendlies, the North African side signaled that it has the quality to chase its first-ever knockout-stage appearance at a World Cup next summer, having failed to do so in their previous six participations.

The Selecao, as usual, opened the match with control, pressure, and displays of superior individual talent. Estevao and Rodrygo had early opportunities that could easily have unlocked the Tunisian defense, but the final, decisive touch was always missing. And just when it seemed Brazil would dictate the tempo without major resistance, Tunisia struck back. Ali Abdi broke down the flank and delivered a perfect ball to Hazem Mastouri, and the Dinamo Makhachkala striker placed his shot precisely into the bottom corner.

Conceding the goal woke Brazil up. Rodrygo’s free-kick soon forced a superb save from Aymen Dahmen. Still, the key moment of the first half came when Dylan Bronn handled the ball inside the penalty area. Estevao took responsibility and calmly sent Dahmen the wrong way, cooling Tunisia’s growing euphoria just enough to restore balance to the match.

The second half was defined by the kind of rhythm swings typical of friendly games. Tunisia, despite having little of the ball, produced surprisingly dangerous forward surges. Elias Saad was Brazil’s biggest threat, first with a 25-meter strike that flew inches wide, then with a dangerous free-kick that smacked directly into the head of the brave Fabricio Bruno, Cruzeiro’s center-back.

Ancelotti made changes, seeking better ball circulation, quicker transitions, deeper movement in the final third — but everything remained within the realm of lukewarm attempts. Then Ferjani Sassi made a reckless challenge, giving Brazil their second penalty of the night. This time, the story was different. In the 79th minute, Lucas Paqueta blasted the ball over the bar — as if he were trying to score in a different sport, like rugby or American football.

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The closing minutes passed in measured exchanges and a VAR check that ended with a sigh of relief for Tunisia. A 1–1 draw, but with clear symbolic significance. Tunisia showed it can play against the giants, while Brazil showed it is still not at the level it wants to reach ahead of next summer and its attempt to win a sixth world title — the first in 24 years. Transition is a process, and under Carlo Ancelotti it must be orderly, thorough, and far more convincing than it was tonight. Carlo will have a lot, a lot more work to do for this to resemble a team capable of achieving a deep run in the USA.