Argentina’s Friendly Strategy Under Scrutiny

Argentina are set to continue their World Cup preparations with two international friendlies ahead of the 2026 tournament, yet the calibre of their opponents has once again drawn attention. Managed by Lionel Scaloni, the reigning world champions will face Mauritania this Saturday (Bangladesh time, early morning), followed by Zambia on 1 April.

On paper, the contests appear highly one-sided. Argentina currently sit second in the FIFA rankings, whereas Mauritania are placed 115th and Zambia 91st. The stark disparity in ranking underscores a broader pattern: since lifting the 2022 World Cup, Argentina have not faced a European side, nor any team ranked within the top 20 in international friendlies.

Despite the criticism, Argentina’s results under Scaloni have been exceptionally consistent. Since taking charge in 2018, he has overseen 30 friendly matches, winning 24, drawing four, and losing just twice. Those defeats—against Venezuela in March 2019 and Brazil in October 2018—came early in his tenure. Since then, Argentina have built a formidable unbeaten run.

The following table summarises Argentina’s friendly record under Scaloni:

Notably, Argentina have gone 23 consecutive friendlies without defeat, including a run of 15 straight victories. Their latest win came on 14 November 2025 against Angola, further cementing their dominance in non-competitive fixtures.

During this period, Argentina have also recorded several emphatic victories. They defeated Curaçao 7–0, the United Arab Emirates 5–0, Estonia 5–0, and Puerto Rico 6–0. While these scorelines demonstrate attacking prowess and tactical cohesion, critics argue that such results are achieved against opponents unable to offer meaningful resistance.

French sports daily L’Équipe has been particularly vocal on the matter. The publication highlighted that Argentina have deliberately avoided stronger opposition in friendlies since their World Cup triumph. In contrast, Brazil have faced top-20 teams on at least ten occasions in the same period, while Colombia have done so nine times.

A closer look at Argentina’s recent opponents reinforces this observation. In 2023, they played Panama, Curaçao, Indonesia, and Australia. In 2024, their opponents included El Salvador, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Guatemala. The following year, they faced Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and Angola. Among these, Australia—ranked 29th at the time—represented their toughest challenge, a match Argentina won 2–0 in June 2023.

According to L’Équipe, this scheduling approach may be strategic. By selecting lower-ranked teams, Argentina can secure consistent victories, thereby maintaining or improving their FIFA ranking. Indeed, outside of World Cup qualifiers, Argentina have won their last 11 matches, a streak that has contributed significantly to their firm hold on second place globally.

While this method ensures confidence and continuity, questions remain as to whether it adequately prepares the team for elite-level competition. As the 2026 World Cup approaches, Argentina’s balance between results and rigorous testing will remain a subject of keen debate.