The game, on the eve of today's 100th anniversary of the world body's founding, finished a 0-0 draw, the same score as in the first international between Scotland and England in 1872.
But the magical footwork of Zidane and Ronaldo, Thierry Henry and Roberto Carlos, said more about the beautiful game for the stadium-record 79,344 crowd than all the assembled dignitaries.
"Of course, it's a 0-0 draw . . . but it does not feel like it," the Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said.
France's Marcel Desailly and Claude Makelele were booed by the crowd for their unsporting behaviour in Chelsea's Champions League match in Monaco.
On the field France began in a replica of the kit from their first match in 1904 - blue shirts with collars, a belt and long cream shorts with red socks. Brazil wore white shirts with lace-up collars and long white shorts with blue socks from 1914.
France (4-4-2): Coupet; Thuram, Boumsong, Desailly (Mendy, h-t), Gallas; Pires (Wiltord, h-t), Vieira, Makelele, Zidane (Kapo, 71); Trezeguet, Henry.
Brazil (4-3-1-2): Dida; Cafu, Luisao, Cris, Roberto Carlos; Juninho Pernambuco (Baptista, 80), Edmilson, Ze Roberto (Edu, h-t); Kaka (Alex, h-t); Ronaldinho, Ronaldo.
Referee: M Mejuto González (Spain).