Brazil to play Mexico in Foxborough

The Brazilians are coming. The Brazil men's national team will meet Mexico at 8 p.m. Sept. 12 at Gillette Stadium, the Seleção's first-ever appearance in the Boston area. The game is expected to be officially announced today.

The matchup was finalized in recent days and symbolically commemorated as the presidents of Brazil (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva) and Mexico (Felipe Calderón) met in Mexico City yesterday. Justino Compeán, president of the Federacion Mexicana de Futbol, presented Brazil's president with a Mexico national team shirt with the No. 10 and his name inscribed.

"After our team, the Brazil team is the favorite among Mexicans," Calderón said.

Mexico won the most recent matchup, 2-0, in the first round of Copa America in Venezuela. But Brazil rallied to win the tournament, topping Argentina, 3-0, in the final July 15.

Kaká (Milan) and Ronaldinho (Barcelona) declined callups for Copa America but Brazil coach Dunga is expected to announce today that they will be on the roster for a friendly against Algeria in Montpellier, France, Aug. 22. Other candidates for the team include Ronaldo (Milan).

Dunga, who captained Brazil when it won the 1994 World Cup in the US, replaced Carlos Alberto Parreira as coach after the '06 World Cup. Ricardo Teixeira, president of the Confederação de Futebol Brasileira, recently criticized the conduct of the World Cup team, noted that Ronaldo was overweight in Germany, and said he named Dunga as coach to restore discipline and order in the squad.

Mexico tied the US, 2-2, in a World Cup qualifier before 57,407 spectators at Foxboro Stadium April 20, 1997. The Mexican team, which will play host to the US at Estadio Azteca Sept. 9, is promoted in the US by Soccer United Marketing, which is affiliated with Major League Soccer.