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The United States were routed 5-2 by Belgium in a humbling defeat for Mauricio Pochettino’s team as they prepare to cohost the FIFA World Cup 2026, while Mexico and Portugal played to a goalless draw.
Saturday’s thrashing comes as a wake-up call just 75 days before the tournament for the USA, who, after a good run of recent results, were again found severely lacking against top European opposition.
“I see this as a good reality check for us, because now is the moment to feel this type of situation, to improve,” Pochettino said after the game in Atlanta. “We need to improve, of course.”
The USA took an early lead against the world’s ninth-ranked team, with Weston McKennie slotting in to the delight of a packed Atlanta crowd of 67,000.
But the Americans, knowing that their chances of making a deep run in the World Cup will likely depend on beating elite European sides, saw any hopes of a statement victory dashed.
Having conceded, the Belgians swiftly came to life, with a deluge of goals from Zeno Debast, Amadou Onana, and Charles De Ketelaere, and a brace from substitute Dodi Lukebakio.
Patrick Agyemang grabbed a late consolation for the USA, who play Portugal in another high-profile friendly on Tuesday before Pochettino announces his final squad in May.
Meanwhile, Mexico’s friendly against Portugal, marking the reopening of the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City ahead of the World Cup, ended in a 0-0 draw.
The reopening became controversial as a man died after falling from a box seat area shortly before the match, security officials said.
Authorities said the man was intoxicated. He attempted to jump from the second-level box seats to the first level by climbing along the exterior of the structure before falling to the ground floor, they said.
The match doubled as a test event for the revamped stadium, drawing a festive crowd eager to sample the atmosphere in advance of the June 11 to July 19 tournament.
The iconic venue, which hosted the finals of the 1970 and 1986 World Cup tournaments, has been closed since May 2024 for renovations and will host five World Cup matches: three in the first round and two in the knockout stages.
The Portuguese faced the match with absences, most notably those of forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Leao.
Portugal’s Joao Felix went close in the 14th minute before Goncalo Ramos struck the post midway through the first half.
The visitors continued to look the more dangerous side after the break, with Bruno Fernandes firing just wide.
Tensions briefly flared between Pedro Neto and Jesus Gallardo, while the introduction of Toluca’s Portuguese striker Paulinho was met with loud cheers from the home crowd.
“I think we had 10 shots on goal, which isn’t far off what we were aiming for,” Portugal coach Roberto Martinez said.
“What isn’t good is the number of shots on target; we lacked accuracy.
“Success or failure isn’t just about the score. There are many more factors at play these days. I think that, after 90 minutes, the team is better prepared for the World Cup,” Martinez said.
Mexico, who were booed by sections of the crowd at the final whistle, face Belgium in another friendly on Tuesday.
The tournament cohosts will play South Africa at the Azteca in the June 11 tournament opener.
In other results, Germany forward Florian Wirtz scored two goals, including an 86th-minute winner, and set up two more as his team twice came from a goal down to beat Switzerland 4-3 in Basel.
The 22-year-old Wirtz put the visitors 3-2 up just past the hour with a stunning 18-metre curled effort and bagged the winner with another spectacular strike from the edge of the box in an entertaining game.
Wirtz, who missed the 2022 World Cup through injury, has been struggling for form in his first season at Liverpool, but on Friday played arguably his best game for the national team.
“Well, with four scorer points, most likely, yes,” Wirtz said. “We have a tight World Cup phase in front of us, and we obviously want to reach the final and win the trophy, but we all know it will be a very hard road until then.”
Ben White scored on his recall to the England side and then gave away a penalty in stoppage time as England drew 1-1 with Uruguay on a night of pre-World Cup friendlies, while Florian Wirtz scored two and made two more as Germany twice came from behind to beat Switzerland 4-3.
In other games on Friday, the Netherlands overcame Norway 2-1 in Amsterdam, while Mikel Oyarzabal scored two impressive goals in Spain’s 3-0 win over Serbia.
White was a controversial selection by England coach Thomas Tuchel, four years after walking out on his teammates in the middle of the last World Cup.
The Arsenal defender replaced Fikayo Tomori with 21 minutes left in a dull match on Friday, and his appearance was greeted with some boos from the 80,000 fans present at Wembley.
“He needs to take it on the chin,” Tuchel said. “We will always protect him, and hopefully we can put it behind [us] because he is ready to write some new chapters and we are ready to give him the chance, so hopefully everyone can move on and accept it.”
White was in the right place at the right time 10 minutes from time to give England the lead, after Cole Palmer’s corner was flicked on and White poked the ball in at the far post for what will surely be one of the easiest goals of his career.
Uruguay did not have a shot on goal, and that looked like the winner, only for White to clip Federico Vinas in the box as the clock ticked past 90 minutes.
The referee pointed to the spot after a video review, and Federico Valverde converted for Uruguay to leave the scores level.
It was the first goal that England had conceded in seven games, and the decision left the coach and players furious, with Tuchel declaring it “not a penalty”.
In Basel, Germany won for the sixth time in a row, thanks largely to the brilliance of Liverpool’s Wirtz.
Germany looked shaky at the back and went behind in the 17th minute when Dan Ndoye cut in from the left and crashed a shot past Oliver Baumann from a tight angle.
Germany levelled nine minutes later when Jonathan Tah headed home Wirtz’s cross from the left, but Breel Embolo put Switzerland ahead again in the 41st minute with a diving header after Baumann hesitated to leave his line.
Once again, Wirtz brought Germany back into the game when, on the stroke of halftime, his flighted pass carved open the Swiss defence and allowed Serge Gnabry to lift the ball over goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Wirtz then gave Germany a 3-2 lead 11 minutes into the second half with the best goal of the night, his stunning right-foot shot from full 30 metres (33 yards) sailing over Kobel into the top corner of the net.
Joel Monteiro equalised for the home side 10 minutes from time with a rifled shot that gave Baumann no chance, but Wirtz made it 4-3 with another superb shot from the 18-yard line six minutes from the end.
The result ended Switzerland’s 10-match unbeaten run.
In Villarreal, Oyarzabal was the star man for Spain in its hastily arranged game against Serbia.
The match was set up at short notice after Spain’s proposed game with Argentina in Doha fell through due to war in the Middle East, and the home side showed just why they are one of the favourites to win a second World Cup title this June and July.
Oyarzabal got his first goal with 16 minutes gone, hammering home after Alex Baena’s smart dummy from Fermin Lopez’s pass gave him time and space on the edge of the Serbian box.
His second, a minute before halftime, was an unstoppable left-foot shot from almost 25 metres (27 yards) out.
The goals take his international tally to 26 in 53 internationals and extend his superb scoring streak. The Real Sociedad striker has scored 11 times in his last 10 games for Spain.
Oyarzabal was withdrawn after 63 minutes as Spain gave a debut to Osasuna winger Victor Munoz, but there was no letup for the Serbs. Munoz capped a happy night with a goal nine minutes later, taking a lovely back-heeled pass from Ferran Torres and stroking the ball home to make it 3-0.
In Amsterdam, Norway rested their record scorer, Erling Haaland, but took the lead after 25 minutes thanks to a curling shot from Andreas Schjelderup.
Virgil van Dijk levelled 10 minutes later when he powered home a header from a corner, and Tijjani Reijnders gave the home side the win when he crashed home from close range five minutes into the second half.
The win extended The Netherlands’ unbeaten run to nine games. The last time Ronald Koeman’s men were beaten was by Spain in a Nations League game a year ago.
In other matches, Algeria, who are pitted against Austria, Jordan and reigning world champions Argentina at the World Cup, beat Guatemala 7-0 in Genoa, and Egypt beat Saudi Arabia 4-0.
Morocco, who drew 1-1 with Ecuador, went behind early in the second half to a goal from John Yeboah, but Neil El Aynaoui’s goal two minutes from time ensured a share of the spoils.
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