International Friendlies: For Many Nations, “Friendly” Cannot Describe These Matches

My reward for spending an evening studying affirmative defenses is to spend an hour this morning watching Slovakia take on Bosnia-Herzegovina, but I appreciate that watching the repre isn't everyone's cup of tea. Not even Slovakians, with less than 2,000 expected to show at the match in Bratislava. So if you're not like me, what should you be watching today?

South Africa v United States: This is, of course the match most in the U.S. will tune into. Due to the difficulty of getting his squad to South Africa for a midweek game, Bob Bradley has selected a team of younger players, leaving behind stars such as Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and Tim Howard. Watch this match to decide for yourself about the future of the USMNT, focusing in particular on the defense, with Eric Lichaj of Aston Villa seeking to overtake Jonathan Spector of West Ham at right back, and Tim Ream of New York Red Bulls searching for a starting spot.

England v France: Les Bleus couldn't make it out of the first round of the 2010 World Cup and England barely fared better, losing to Germany in the Round of 16. This match is a chance to show that both teams are more concerned about the future than the past. However, Fabio Capello's nod to youth, including Newcastle striker Andy Carroll, Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson and Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs, seems more about compensating for injuries than a sea change. On the other hand, Laurent Blanc's France is a genuinely creative, youthful squad, with the likes of Samir Nasri, Yann M'vila and Dimitri Payet all willing and able to give the Three Lions trouble.

Portugal v Spain: Spain eliminated neighbors Portugal in the second round of the World Cup, and the Portuguese will be looking for revenge today. A friendly? Never, not between these teams. Steve Abrams has a more detailed explanation of why you should watch this non-friendly.

Brazil v Argentina: An ancient rivalry continues today in Qatar, where the tiny nation is intent on furthering its bid for the 2022 World Cup. The attention will be focused on the pitch, however, as international stars take to the field. Barcelona forward Lionel Messi hopes his Argentina side, featuring Javier Pastore, who's been on fire for Palermo, and Ángel di María, whose form has been equally impressive for Real Madrid, can secure a win over Brazil for the first time in his senior career. Brazil, meanwhile, will be trotting out the kids, with teenagers Neymar and Coutinho both expected to start-yet the seleção also welcome the return of Ronaldinho, who has not played for his country since April 2009.