Friendlies: 793 minutes on the field, three goals and an assist from the Nerazzurri

The international friendly window has come to an end, and everything is now set for the 2026 World Cup. The teams have warmed up for the international tournament, and several Nerazzurri players played vital roles for their national sides. Eight Inter players featured in international friendlies, playing a combined total of 793 minutes.

ITALY

The Azzurri will not be among the nations competing in the World Cup, and interim head coach Silvio Baldini used the two friendlies against Luxembourg and Greece to experiment with line-ups full of young players making their debuts. However, a reliable figure such as Francesco Pio Esposito proved decisive in both matches, scoring the goals that secured two narrow victories for Italy. The Nerazzurri striker was the difference maker in the match at the Stade de Luxembourg with a great header in the 49th minute from a cross by Roma’s Pisilli, before repeating the feat at the Pankritio Stadium in Heraklion with a precise right-footed finish in the 18th minute after controlling a cross from the left by Ekhator. Pio, now up to five goals in nine appearances for Italy, became only the third player in history to score more than three goals for the national team before turning 21, after Giuseppe Meazza (11) and Gianni Rivera (5). He is also the fourth player ever to score in each of his first three starts for Italy, after Omar Sivori (1961), Riccardo Carapellese (1947–48), and Annibale Frossi (1936).

Luxembourg 0-1 Italy (friendly) | Esposito 76' (1 goal)

Greece 0-1 Italy (friendly) | Esposito 87' (1 goal)

ARGENTINA

Reigning world champions Argentina head into the World Cup on the back of victories over Honduras and Iceland, with Lautaro Martínez starring in both matches. The Nerazzurri captain started against Honduras and helped secure the 2-0 win by scoring a penalty, his 37th goal for the national team, as well as providing a brilliant backheel assist for Giuliano Simeone before being substituted in the 63rd minute. El Toro also made his mark against Iceland, coming on at the start of the second half in place of José López and winning the penalty that led to the 2-0 goal, converted by Lionel Messi. The match eventually ended 3-0 in favour of Scaloni’s squad.

Argentina 2-0 Honduras (friendly) | Lautaro 63' (1 goal, 1 assist)

Argentina 3-0 Iceland (friendly) | Lautaro 45'

IVORY COAST

A spectacular victory for the Ivory Coast as they came from behind to beat France 2-1 in Nantes. It was a special match for Ange-Yoan Bonny, who made his senior debut for the Ivorian national team. The Nerazzurri forward came on in the 68th minute in place of Seko Fofana with the score tied at 1-1, before Amad Diallo netted the winning goal in the 84th minute.

France 1-2 Ivory Coast (friendly) | Bonny 22'

CROATIA

One defeat and one victory for the Croatia national team in their two international friendlies: a 2-0 loss to Belgium at Stadion HNK in Rijeka, followed by a 2-1 win over Slovenia at the Gradski Stadion in Varaždin. Petar Sučić featured in both matches, taking his tally to 17 appearances for Croatia. The Nerazzurri midfielder played 71 minutes against the Red Devils and 45 minutes against Slovenia. After the defeat to Belgium, sealed by goals from Youri Tielemans and Romelu Lukaku, the side coached by Zlatko Dalić bounced back with a victory over Slovenia thanks to goals from Luka Modrić and Mario Pašalić.

Croatia 0-2 Belgium (friendly) | Sučić 71'

Croatia 2-1 Slovenia (friendly) | Sučić 45'

FRANCE

Two very different results for France and Marcus Thuram ahead of the World Cup: a defeat against the Ivory Coast, followed by a victory over Northern Ireland. Tikus started against the Elephants and played 89 minutes before being replaced by Bradley Barcola. The match ended in a comeback win for the Ivory Coast, who won 2-1 in Nantes thanks to goals from Désiré Doué and Amad Diallo's decisive strike in the 84th minute. Thuram remained on the bench for France’s second friendly, as Les Bleus defeated Northern Ireland 3-1 thanks to a hat-trick from Michael Olise.

France 1-2 Ivory Coast (friendly) | Thuram 89'

France 3-1 Northern Ireland (friendly) | Thuram unused substitute

POLAND

Piotr Zieliński and Poland will not be heading to the World Cup. However, during the friendly window, they recorded one draw and one defeat against Ukraine and Nigeria. The Nerazzurri midfielder played 45 minutes against Ukraine, who secured a 2-0 victory at the Tarczyński Arena in Wrocław thanks to goals from Roman Yaremchuk and Andriy Yarmolenko. Zieliński then remained on the pitch for 89 minutes in the 2-2 draw against Nigeria, a match in which Poland scored a dramatic late equaliser through Michał Wiśniewski in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Poland 0-2 Ukraine (friendly) | Zieliński 45'

Poland 2-2 Nigeria (friendly) | Zieliński 89'

SWITZERLAND

One win and one draw for Switzerland, with Manuel Akanji starting in both matches. The Nerazzurri defender played 61 minutes in the 4-1 victory over Jordan at the Kybunpark in St. Gallen, a match decided by first-half goals from Breel Embolo, Dan Ndoye, and Granit Xhaka, before Christian Fassnacht added a fourth after the break. In the 1-1 draw against Australia in San Diego, where Kusini Yengi cancelled out Ndoye’s opener, Akanji remained on the pitch for 79 minutes.

Switzerland 4-1 Jordan (friendly) | Akanji 61'

Switzerland 1-1 Australia (friendly) | Akanji 79'

TURKEY

Turkey head into the World Cup on the back of two victories: a 4-0 win over North Macedonia in Istanbul and a 2-1 comeback victory against Venezuela in Fort Lauderdale. The two friendlies allowed head coach Vincenzo Montella to give minutes to Hakan Çalhanoğlu, who had not played since Inter-Como on 21 April. The Nerazzurri midfielder came on late in the match against North Macedonia, with the result already secured thanks to goals from Kökçü, Uzun, Gül, and Yılmaz. Çalhanoğlu then played 19 minutes against Venezuela, as Turkey came from behind to win thanks to second-half goals from Yılmaz and Akgün.

Turkey 4-0 North Macedonia (friendly) | Çalhanoğlu 2'

Venezuela 1-2 Turkey (friendly) | Çalhanoğlu 19'