U.S.-Brazil to Play in Chicago

The world's top-ranked team will travel to Chicago to face the Americans on Sept. 9.

The U.S. National Team will face five-time World Cup champion Brazil on September 9 in Chicago (ESPN2, 4 p.m. ET). It will be a match pitting the champions of CONCACAF against the champions of CONMEBOL after both teams captured their confederation championships earlier this summer.

It will mark Brazil’s first trip to Chicago and a rare road trip to the United States, as the world’s top-ranked team begins preparations for the start of South American World Cup qualifying in October.

"It is a very exciting opportunity for our players to get to play perhaps the most storied team in the world,” said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “We have developed a tremendous schedule for 2007, and adding Brazil is another important piece of the puzzle as we continue to build our team towards World Cup qualifying next year. I have told our players many times that these are special games, and we need to take advantage of the opportunity. We are very much looking forward to the challenge.”

Brazil is led by two-time FIFA World Player of the Year Ronaldinho, AC Milan midfielder Kaka and Real Madrid Robinho. Former Brazilian star Dunga is the team’s head coach after signing on after the 2006 World Cup. He has led Brazil to a 11-2-3 record since taking over, which included two 3-0 victories over Argentina.

The U.S. has a 1-11-0 record overall in this series, which dates all the way back to 1930. The lone win came on Feb. 10, 1998, during the Gold Cup, with current Chivas USA head coach Preki Radosavljevic scoring the game-winner on a free kick in a 1-0 victory. The two sides last met in the 2003 edition of the Gold Cup, with Kaka scoring in a 2-1 victory in overtime in the semifinals.

The Americans were originally scheduled to play Mexico on September 9 in Mexico City, however that match was canceled due to contractual and financial considerations.