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Lionel Messi ended his 21-year international career with a goal and two assists as Argentina beat Benin 3-0 in Buenos Aires. The 39-year-old, his country's most-capped player and all-time top scorer, was honored by more than 85,000 fans at the Monumental in an emotional farewell.
Fulham’s pre-season friendly against Malaga ended in controversy as the English club left the pitch before a penalty shootout, while coach Alvaro Arbeloa was sent off. Fulham insists no shootout was agreed, contradicting Malaga’s claim.
Omar Marmoush scored twice in three minutes as Manchester City came from behind to beat Atletico Madrid 3-1 in their final pre-season friendly in Seoul. The Egyptian forward proved the difference after Atletico had taken a first-half lead through Jorge Dominguez.
Japan avoided the errors of the 2022 World Cup with a dominant 4-0 friendly win over Tunisia on June 19, 2026. The victory highlighted the team’s growth in poise and strategic control, positioning them as a strong candidate for major competitions.
Japan dominated Tunisia 4-0 in a friendly on Saturday, with Ayase Ueda scoring twice. The match also marked the 1,000th fixture in World Cup history. Daichi Kamada and Junya Ito also scored for the Blue Samurai.
Portugal beat Nigeria 2-1 in a World Cup 2026 warm-up friendly, but Cristiano Ronaldo failed to convert clear chances. Ronaldo was substituted in the 65th minute, while substitute Francisco Conceicao scored the winner.
Brazil's women's team received eight red cards—including coaches and players—in a chaotic 0-1 friendly loss to the United States in Fortaleza. The only goal came in the 63rd minute from Sophia Wilson's deflected shot. Brazil had no shots on target, while the U.S. had six.
Argentina cruised to a 3-0 win over Iceland in their final World Cup warm-up. Lionel Messi came off the bench in the second half and scored a penalty to double the lead.
Portugal face Nigeria in their final pre-2026 World Cup friendly on Wednesday in Leiria. The Selecao then fly to the USA for the tournament, where they are among the favourites. Nigeria, missing stars Osimhen and Lookman, are unbeaten in six but failed to qualify for the World Cup.
