Sept. 10, 2013 – Brazil 3:1 Portugal at Gillette Stadium (Att.: 62,310, third-largest soccer crowd in Mass. history)

New England is among the few areas of the country where Lusophone influence is stronger than Hispanic. Organizers began capitalizing by staging a Brazil v Mexico friendly at Gillette Stadium in 2007, the Mexican players expressing surprise when their supporters were outnumbered.

Four of the top seven Gillette Stadium soccer crowds have involved the Brazil or Portugal national teams.

Pre-game ceremonies involved former Benfica star Eusebio, who played for the Rhode Island Oceaneers and Boston Minutemen in the ‘70s, and Brazil’s Pelé. Raul Meireles’ 18^th-minute goal opened the scoring, Brazil rallying on goals by Thiago Silva (24^th), Neymar (36^th) and Jô (50^th).

Sept. 12, 2007 – Brazil 3:1 Mexico at Gillette Stadium (Att.: 67,584, regional record soccer crowd)

Juan Carlos Cacho (43^rd minute) opened the scoring, Brazil retaliating on goals by Kleber (45^th), Kakà (79^th) and Afonso (86^th), before coach Dunga was red-carded during injury time. Kaká’s goal was set up as defender Rafa Marquez nearly whiffed attempting a half volley clearance after the ball hit a dead spot in the imported grass surface.

Massive traffic delays kept the crowd down for the Wednesday evening match and led to numerous complaints from spectators whose arrival was delayed well past the scheduled 8:30 p.m. kickoff time.

Brazil has a 3W-2L-0D record and Neymar has scored three goals in two matches at Gillette Stadium (the Brazil women’s national team has an 0W-1L-1D record in Foxborough). The Seleção also defeated Italy (4-1) in 1976 and the U.S. (2-0) in 1993 at the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Conn.

Mexico has an 0W-2L-1D record in Foxborough since 1997 (the Mexico women’s national team has an 0W-3L-0D mark in Foxborough). Portugal has a 1W-2L-0D mark in Foxborough since 1992.

TODAY IN NEW ENGLAND SOCCER HISTORY