Argentina recorded a very comfortable friendly win over Zambia in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday. Lionel Messi scored one of the five goals in what may have been his last international match on home soil. Belgium, with Ajax player Mika Godts making his first start, drew with Mexico.
Emotional Messi shines as Argentina crush Zambia, Belgium draw with Mexico, Brazil beat Croatia and Portugal overcome the United States
The latest round of international friendlies delivered a mixture of emotion, individual quality and important talking points for several major national teams. Argentina produced the most memorable display of the night with a commanding 5-0 victory over Zambia in Buenos Aires, where Lionel Messi once again stood at the centre of attention. Belgium were held to a 1-1 draw by Mexico in a more demanding test than their previous outing, Brazil defeated Croatia 3-1 thanks to a strong late push, and Portugal claimed a controlled 2-0 win over the United States.
Although these matches were officially friendlies, the atmosphere, the individual stories and the performances on the pitch gave them far more weight than an ordinary preparation game. For Argentina in particular, the evening carried a special emotional charge. With growing expectation that Messi could retire from international football after the World Cup, supporters treated the occasion as something far greater than a routine fixture. The result was a night filled with celebration, nostalgia and another reminder of how much the captain still means to both his team and his country.
Argentina 5-0 Zambia
Even before the match began, all eyes were on Messi. During the warm-up, the Argentine fans loudly sang his name and created an atmosphere that felt closer to a tribute than a standard pre-match build-up. The noise inside the stadium reflected the emotional weight of the night, with many supporters aware that opportunities to watch Messi represent Argentina at home may now be limited. The 198-cap icon has already given his nation a career filled with unforgettable moments, and this match quickly became another chapter in that story.
Argentina needed very little time to take control. After only four minutes, Julián Álvarez opened the scoring from a Thiago Almada assist, giving the home side an ideal start and immediately putting Zambia under pressure. The early goal allowed Argentina to settle into their passing game with confidence, moving the ball sharply and forcing Zambia to spend long periods chasing shadows. With every attack, the hosts looked capable of stretching the margin further.
Messi then added his own name to the scoresheet shortly before half-time. After a quick and intelligent combination with Alexis Mac Allister, the Argentina captain shifted the ball onto his left foot and sent a precise finish into the far corner. It was a goal that combined clarity of thought, technical quality and calm execution, all trademarks of his game over the years. The celebration that followed was as much about appreciation as joy, as the crowd reacted to the possibility that this could be one of his final major moments in front of the home supporters.
Argentina continued to dominate after the break and soon extended their lead again. When the team were awarded a penalty, Messi chose not to take it himself and instead insisted that Nicolás Otamendi step forward. The veteran defender, now 38, accepted the responsibility and converted to make it 3-0. It was a gesture that spoke volumes about the mood inside the squad, with Messi giving another experienced servant of Argentine football a special moment of his own on an already emotional evening.
The pressure on Zambia never eased. An own goal from Dominic Chanda increased the lead to 4-0 and turned the closing stages into a celebration for the home crowd. Yet Argentina still had one more elegant move to produce before the final whistle. Messi delivered a perfectly measured through ball to Nicolás González, who showed excellent awareness before setting up Valentín Barco with a clever backheel for the fifth goal. The move summed up the confidence and fluency with which Argentina played throughout the night.
By full-time, the 5-0 scoreline fully reflected the difference between the sides. Argentina were sharper, more creative and more clinical, while Zambia found themselves overwhelmed by the tempo and technical quality of the world champions. Still, beyond the football, the strongest image of the night remained the bond between Messi and the fans. Even after the final whistle, the chanting continued around the stadium as supporters kept singing his name, unwilling to let the occasion end too quickly.
Mexico 1-1 Belgium
Belgium faced a very different kind of challenge against Mexico. After a convincing win over the United States in their previous outing, the Red Devils came up against a more resilient and competitive opponent in Chicago. There was also significant attention on Mika Godts, who had made his debut as a substitute on Saturday and was now handed his first start for the national team. For the young Ajax player, it was an important personal milestone, but the overall match proved demanding for Belgium from the opening stages.
Mexico began with greater aggression and looked more comfortable in the early exchanges. Their pressing unsettled Belgium and prevented them from controlling possession in the way they had managed against the United States. The breakthrough arrived after 19 minutes, when former Ajax defender Jorge Sánchez reacted quickest following a corner and tapped the ball home from close range. It was a deserved reward for the stronger opening phase from the Mexican side, who combined intensity with discipline.
Belgium needed a response and found it immediately after the interval through one of their form players. Dodi Lukebakio, who had already scored twice in the previous friendly, once again made the difference in front of goal. Cutting in onto his left foot, the Benfica attacker curled a superb effort into the far corner to bring Belgium level at 1-1. It was a finish of real quality and briefly shifted momentum in favour of the Red Devils.
From that point, however, the rhythm of the contest changed repeatedly as head coach Rudi Garcia used the second half to rotate heavily. In total, Belgium made ten substitutions after the break, underlining that this was also an exercise in squad assessment. The changes brought fresh energy but also disrupted fluency, and Belgium were unable to build enough sustained pressure to find a winning goal.
Mexico, meanwhile, stayed organised and continued to compete strongly in midfield and in defensive areas. They looked far more stubborn than Team USA had done against Belgium and ensured that the Red Devils were forced to settle for a draw. For Belgium, the result offered both positives and warnings. Lukebakio continued his excellent form, Godts gained valuable experience, but the team also showed that they can still be pushed out of their comfort zone when faced with a more physical and assertive opponent.
Brazil 3-1 Croatia
Brazil also needed time to turn superiority into victory against Croatia. The match, played in the United States, featured Ajax defender Josip Šutalo and PSV winger Ivan Perišić in the Croatian starting line-up, giving the European side both structure and experience. Croatia remained organised for long stretches and frustrated Brazil by keeping spaces tight and limiting clear chances, even when the South Americans enjoyed more of the ball.
The breakthrough finally arrived in first-half stoppage time through a fast and clinical transition. Vinícius Júnior used his pace and sharp decision-making to get the better of the Croatian defence before setting up Danilo, who finished strongly to make it 1-0. It was a goal built on speed and precision, and it gave Brazil a deserved advantage at the break after a half in which they had gradually increased the pressure.
Croatia, however, remained disciplined and refused to collapse. As the match moved into its later stages, they found their opportunity and took it through Lovro Majer, who scored what seemed likely to secure a draw. At that point, the momentum looked as though it might have slipped away from Brazil, who had controlled much of the game but were in danger of being punished for not converting that control into a bigger lead earlier on.
Instead, the decisive influence came from the bench. Substitute Endrick changed the direction of the closing minutes by injecting energy and directness into the Brazilian attack. He first won a penalty, which was converted by Igor Thiago for his first international goal, restoring Brazils advantage at 2-1. Then, in stoppage time, Endrick was involved again, this time supplying the assist for Gabriel Martinelli to score the third and confirm the result at 3-1.
The late goals highlighted the attacking depth available to Brazil and the impact that fresh options can have in high-level international matches. Croatia had stayed in contention for most of the evening, but the closing moments showed how quickly Brazil can punish a side once spaces begin to open. For the Brazilians, it was another useful reminder that even when matches remain tight for long periods, they possess enough quality to finish strongly.
United States 0-2 Portugal
Portugal completed the nights action with a composed 2-0 victory over the United States in Atlanta. Even without Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese side looked balanced, technically secure and more efficient in the key moments. For the Americans, it was a second defeat of the international window after the loss to Belgium, and another game that exposed difficulties against opponents with superior control in midfield and greater calm in the final third.
The central figure for Portugal was Bruno Fernandes, who played a decisive role in both goals. In the first half, he produced a clever backheel assist that released Francisco Trincão, who finished to put Portugal ahead. The move reflected the quality of thought and execution that separated the teams, with Portugal able to punish small defensive lapses through quick and intelligent combinations.
Fernandes then made the difference again just before the hour mark. This time, he supplied João Félix, who was given far too much space after receiving the ball from a corner routine. The Al Nassr attacker took advantage of the freedom, selecting his finish calmly and doubling Portugals lead at 2-0. It was another example of Portugal punishing defensive hesitation with ruthless efficiency.
The United States never truly looked capable of recovering from that point. Their attacks lacked precision and they found it difficult to create sustained pressure against a Portugal side that remained composed and organised. PSV striker Ricardo Pepi stayed on the bench for the entire match, and the home side ended the evening without a goal and with further questions to answer following another defeat.
Portugal, on the other hand, will have taken real encouragement from the performance. Winning without Ronaldo gave additional weight to the result, while Bruno Fernandes once again demonstrated how influential he can be when given the freedom to shape the game. It was not a spectacular display in terms of scoreline, but it was a mature and efficient one, exactly the kind of performance that strong international teams often need in these preparation matches.
Updated: 11:31, 1 Apr 2026
