Lionel Messi entered the match at the start of the second half, with Argentina already holding a 2-0 lead. As he warmed up, fans erupted in chants of his name, and a banner proclaiming him the "best player of the century" was unfurled, demonstrating strong support for the Argentina captain.

However, in nearly 50 minutes of play, the 38-year-old forward made no significant impact. Mauritania effectively contained the Argentina captain. Messi had a scoring opportunity in the 55th minute after goalkeeper Babacar Diop fumbled the ball, but he failed to convert. This means he has not yet surpassed his record of 115 goals for the national team.

Messi plays in the friendly match between Argentina and Mauritania, which Argentina won 2-1, on the evening of 27/3 at Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina. *Photo: AFP*.

Mauritania currently holds the 115th position in the FIFA rankings, 12 places lower than Vietnam. In contrast, Argentina ranks second globally, trailing only Spain.

The friendly match's quality was somewhat affected by rain at La Bombonera stadium. Argentina adopted a cautious approach early on, aiming to prevent injuries. In the 17th minute, Enzo Fernandez opened the scoring, finishing from inside the box after a cross from Nahuel Molina. Nico Paz then doubled the lead in the 31st minute with a free-kick.

Mauritania showed improved performance after halftime. The visiting team demonstrated good movement, played confidently, and executed passes well. In the 90+3 minute, Jordan Lefort scored from a free-kick, narrowing the gap to 1-2.

Argentina is scheduled to host Zambia on 31/3. These two friendly matches against Mauritania and Zambia serve as preparation for the reigning champions' World Cup 2026 opener against Algeria, another African team, on 16/6.

Originally, Argentina was set to contest the Intercontinental Super Cup against Spain on 27/3. However, due to ongoing conflict in the Middle East and organizational disagreements, the match was canceled.

Thanh Quy