Argentina secured a 2-1 victory over Mauritania on March 27, 2026, in a friendly at La Bombonera. Goals from Enzo Fernández and Nicolás Paz secured the win, while captain Lionel Messi started on the bench before entering in the second half. The match, which served as a platform for fans to push for Messi's historic sixth World Cup commitment, saw Argentina struggle against the 115th-ranked Mauritania side despite making eight substitutions.

Coach Lionel Scaloni acknowledged the team's subpar performance, stating, 'The team didn't play a good match. We have to say that so we can work on improving.' The result came after the cancellation of Argentina's Finalissima against Spain due to the Middle East conflict, forcing them to urgently find alternative opponents. Mauritania and Zambia emerged as options for the World Cup champions to bid farewell to supporters and finalize the squad ahead of the May 30 deadline.