England secured their first win over Brazil for 23 years as Frank Lampard’s spectacular strike gave them victory at Wembley Stadium, London.
Brazil returned to Wembley as part of the Football Association’s 150th anniversary celebrations and played their full part in a highly entertaining friendly.
Wayne Rooney steered England into a first-half lead with his 33rd goal for his country, after goalkeeper Joe Hart had earlier saved Ronaldinho’s penalty.
Fred punished Gary Cahill’s mistake to put Brazil level just after the interval but Lampard, on as a half-time substitute for Tom Cleverley, gave Roy Hodgson’s side a confidence-boosting win with a precisely curled effort from the edge of the area on the hour.
It completed a satisfying night’s work for Hodgson and England as Ashley Cole won his 100th cap and Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere delivered a display rich in promise as he started alongside captain Steven Gerrard in midfield for the first time.
Arsenal’s Wilshere, particularly in the first half, was outstanding on only his seventh England appearance and looked intent on making up for time lost with club and country after an ankle injury sidelined him for 15 months.
International friendly results:
France 1-2 Germany
Romania 3-2 Australia
Scotland 1-0 Estonia
Belgium 2-1 Slovakia
Wales 2-1 Austria
Ireland 2-0 Poland
Iceland 0-2 Russia
Netherlands 1-1 Italy
Sweden 2-3 Argentina
Greece 0-0 Switzerland
England 2-1 Brazil
Malta 0-0 Northern Ireland
Macedonia 3-0 Denmark
Turkey 0-2 Czech Republic
Israel 2-1 Finland
Spain 3-1 Uruguay
Albania 1-2 Georgia
Norway 0-2 Ukraine
Slovenia 0-3 Bosnia
Cyprus 1-3 Serbia
Chile 2-1 Egypt
Hungary 1-1 Belarus
Moldova 1-3 Kazakhstan
Croatia 4 -0 Korea Republic
Azerbaijan 1 -0 Liechtenstein
Tanzania 1-0 Cameroon
India 2-4 Palestine
Zimbabwe 2-1 Botswana
Kenya 3-0 Libya
Rwanda 2-2 Uganda
Japan 3-0 Latvia