The final FIFA international window before the World Cup is rolling on, and the first wave of friendlies has already delivered clear storylines. So far, UEFA sides look like the most coherent contenders, while several South American, African, and host‑nation setups are walking away with more questions than answers heading into three pivotal group‑stage games.
France Remains a Talent Factory
France closed the March window with two high‑level wins, extending their unbeaten run to nine matches. Against Brazil in Foxborough, Kylian Mbappé lobbed Ederson for the opener and Hugo Ekitike added a second from a Michael Olise cut‑back; even after Dayot Upamecano’s second‑half red card, France managed a 2–1 win by defending deep and surviving Brazil’s late pressure. Brazil’s backline appeared frail in the match.
Three days later, a heavily rotated XI beat Colombia 3–1, with Désiré Doué scoring twice and Marcus Thuram heading in the other. The score flattered France slightly in a game where Colombia still created, but the bigger takeaway was how seamlessly France’s “B‑side” functioned: Doué looked ready for serious tournament minutes, and the overall structure barely dipped against a top 20 international side.
Other UEFA Standouts So Far
Croatia, the Netherlands, Austria and Germany all put down meaningful markers.
Croatia beat Colombia 2–1 in Orlando, turning an early 0–1 deficit into an efficient, grown‑up win. Jhon Arias’ second‑minute opener was cancelled out almost immediately by a deflected long‑range strike from Luka Vušković, and Igor Matanović headed in from a corner just before half‑time; from there, Croatia controlled the scoreline and showed exactly the dark‑horse profile everyone expects while showign there continues to be a gap between UEFA and CONMEBOL.
Austria destroyed Ghana 5–1 in Vienna, a result that said as much about Black Stars fragility as it did about Ralf Rangnick’s side. Marcel Sabitzer ran the game with a goal and multiple assists, Michael Gregoritsch and Stefan Posch blew it open early in the second half, and late strikes from Chukwuemeka and Seiwald turned it into Ghana’s heaviest defeat in nearly two decades.
The Netherlands beat Norway 2–1 in Amsterdam, coming from behind after Andreas Schjelderup’s opener. A Virgil van Dijk header from a Teun Koopmeiners corner and a well‑timed Tijjani Reijnders run and finish completed the turnaround, underlining how central Reijnders now is as a two‑way midfielder in Koeman’s system.
Germany delivered the wildest scoreline of the window with a 4–3 comeback win away to Switzerland, in which Florian Wirtz had a hand in all four goals. He assisted Jonathan Tah’s header, set up Serge Gnabry, then scored twice himself – including an 85th‑minute top‑corner winner – but Germany’s back line was repeatedly exposed by crosses and transitions in a way that will worry Julian Nagelsmann.
Spain, by contrast, produced a straightforward 3–0 win over Serbia. Mikel Oyarzabal’s brace and debut goal for Víctor Muñoz capped a game where Spain held around 70 percent possession and never really let Serbia breathe, the talent gap was evident.
England and Scotland Left Disappointed
Scotland’s 1–0 home defeat to Japan was a reminder of how fine their margins are. Steve Clarke’s side hit the post through Scott McTominay, but faded under Japan’s press and fresh legs; Junya Ito’s 83rd‑minute winner came after a long spell of Japanese control.
England’s 1–1 draw with Uruguay at Wembley felt like a missed opportunity. Ben White marked his return with a late tap‑in from a set‑piece routine, only to concede a stoppage‑time penalty that Federico Valverde converted; in between, England’s rotated side struggled to create clear chances from open play, while Uruguay will appreciate their improved performance.
CAF Nations Make Statements of Intent
Across CAF, the window has been more encouraging than not.
Nigeria, who won’t be at the World Cup, beat qualifiers Iran 2–1 in Antalya, with early goals from Moses Simon and Akor Adams holding up despite a Mehdi Taremi reply. South Africa drew 1–1 with Panama in Durban, a solid but unspectacular outing.
Algeria thrashed Guatemala 7–0 in Genoa, with Amine Gouiri, Riyad Mahrez, Houssem Aouar and others all on the scoresheet in a game that was effectively a training exercise by the hour mark. Tunisia beat Haiti 1–0 thanks to a Mouhamed Tounekti goal and then managed the game against ten men after a Haitian red card.
Senegal looked in control in a 2–0 win over Peru in Paris, with Nicolas Jackson and Ismaïla Sarr scoring. Ivory Coast delivered one of the standout results of the window, a 4–0 away win over South Korea in which Evann Guessand, Simon Adingra, Martial Godo and Wilfried Singo all scored and the xG gap underlined the dominance.
Morocco’s 1–1 draw with Ecuador in Madrid sits in the “useful test” category. They came from behind via a late Neil El Aynaoui header from a corner, and while Ecuador’s compact back line held firm for stretches, they again offered relatively limited attacking variety beyond transitions and wide service.
For Americas Teams, a Mixed Window at Best
For CONMEBOL and much of CONCACAF, this window has been uncomfortable.
Colombia’s losses to Croatia and France exposed familiar issues under Néstor Lorenzo: an ageing core, a reliance on James Rodríguez that no longer pays off consistently, and shaky goalkeeping and set‑piece defending. The calls from fans to integrate more in‑form options like Real Betis’ Nelson Deossa feel justified when you watch the current side run out of ideas late in games.
Argentina’s 2–1 win over Mauritania at La Bombonera underlined the “calibration problem” of their risky World Cup preparations. Enzo Fernández and Nico Paz put them 2–0 up before half‑time, but the second half brought no shots on target, a visible drop in intensity even after Lionel Messi came on, and a soft set‑piece concession to Jordan Lefort in stoppage time. Argentina controlled the game, but it never felt like the kind of stress that forges answers for a title defence.
Paraguay can be quietly pleased with a 1–0 away win over Greece, decided by a Diego Gómez goal in a tight game where they absorbed pressure and took their chance. Jordan, by contrast, will see a 2–2 draw with Costa Rica as a missed chance: they led 2–0 in Antalya through Baha’ Faisal and Ibrahim Sabra, only to concede twice in the last 10 minutes to Josimar Alcócer and Warren Madrigal. Costa Rica remains in shock they missed the 2026 World Cup.
Host Nations Lacking Joy Ahead of the World Cup
For the three hosts, this window has been more about alarms than celebrations.
Canada’s 2–2 draw with Iceland in Toronto was a messy comeback rather than a positive step forward. Defensive errors gifted Orri Óskarsson a brace inside 25 minutes, and while Jonathan David’s two second‑half penalties rescued a draw, another late red card for Tajon Buchanan and the overall volatility will concern Jesse Marsch.
Mexico’s 0–0 with Portugal at a reopened Azteca was overshadowed by tragedy after a drunken fan fell from an upper level and died before kickoff, a detail that understandably coloured coverage. On the pitch, Mexico pressed well in phases and arguably had the better chances – including a missed close‑range header from Ricardo “Hormiga” González – but still lacked a clear attacking edge; Portugal, rotating and far from full throttle, did little to suggest elite sharpness either.
The USMNT’s 5–2 defeat to Belgium in Atlanta was the harshest reality check of all. Weston McKennie’s first‑half header gave the U.S. a 1–0 lead before Zeno Debast levelled just before the break, and then Belgium ran riot after half‑time: Amadou Onana, Charles De Ketelaere (penalty) and a Dodi Lukebakio brace blew the game open before Patrick Agyemang’s late consolation. Mauricio Pochettino and multiple U.S. outlets framed it as a World Cup “reality check” – attack and depth look fine, but the collective defending and transition structure remain far off what a serious contender needs, while Belgium remain a side that is tested on European nights regularly and can still win a lot of matches.
Main Photo Credit: Smartframe Images
