The Final pre-World Cup International Break: Italy Out, England Stumble and Messi Says Goodbye
The final major international window before the 2026 World Cup has come and gone, and it delivered in full. World Cup places were sealed in dramatic fashion, giant nations stumbled in friendly action, and Kaoru Mitoma silenced Wembley. With the tournament now less than three months away and the full 48-team lineup confirmed, the stakes of every result suddenly feel very real. Here is everything that happened across a week that will shape the summer’s conversation.
The World Cup is just 69 days away…
World Cup – the final places are sealed
The headline business of the window was the completion of World Cup qualification, with the final six spots distributed across two sets of playoffs. In Europe, four paths ran to their conclusions on 31 March, producing a quartet of qualifiers — Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Türkiye and the Czech Republic.
Italy will not be at the 2026 World Cup. For the third consecutive time. It is a sentence that still feels surreal to write. The Azzurri won the first game of their path, defeating Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final, and came into the final against Bosnia and Herzegovina as overwhelming favourites on paper. Moise Kean put them ahead in the 15th minute, and for a while it looked as though Gennaro Gattuso’s side would finally end the nightmare.
Then Alessandro Bastoni was sent off just before half-time for a last-man challenge, and the entire tie turned. Haris Tabakovic equalised in the 79th minute. Extra time produced no winner. Italy missed two penalties — Francesco Pio Esposito and Bryan Cristante both failing — and Bosnia held their nerve to win 4-1 on spot kicks. For a four-time world champion to miss three consecutive World Cups, in a tournament expanded to 48 teams, is one of football’s most jaw-dropping failures. They will watch from home again this summer.
Gigio Donnarumma madr his Itaiy NT debut aged 17!
— 365Scores (@365Scores) April 2, 2026
It’s almost unbelievable that when he turns 31 he will still have 0 World Cup minutes to his name 😱 pic.twitter.com/uDyMpk8FTx
Elsewhere, Sweden’s qualification was one of the most thrilling stories of the window. Viktor Gyokeres grabbed an 88th-minute winner against Poland in a 3-2 victory in Solna, sending the Swedes back to the World Cup for the first time since 2018. Türkiye ended a 24-year absence from the tournament, beating Kosovo 1-0 through Kerem Aktürkoğlu’s second-half goal. Czech Republic edged Denmark in a penalty shootout, winning 3-1 from the spot after a 2-2 draw, to reach the World Cup for the first time since 2006.
The intercontinental playoffs, held in Mexico, concluded with Iraq and DR Congo claiming the final two places. Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 in their deciding match, ending a 40-year wait to return to the World Cup. DR Congo, meanwhile, defeated Jamaica 1-0 in extra time — a historic result that ends the nation’s absence from the tournament since 1974.
Imagine all these big names missing out on the BIGGEST football tournament!
— 365Scores (@365Scores) April 2, 2026
How far this team could go in a World Cup? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/PdasjC9nOM
Mbappe and France hand Brazil a warning in a thriller
France and Brazil met in a pre-World Cup friendly at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on 26 March — the same ground where Les Bleus will play their final group stage game this summer — and France won 2-1 despite finishing with ten men. Kylian Mbappe, back to full fitness after his knee concerns at Real Madrid, opened the scoring with a chipped finish set up by a precise Dembélé through ball.
Hugo Ekitike doubled the lead after Dayot Upamecano’s red card left France a man down, with Bremer pulling one back late for a Brazil side missing several key figures and visibly short of collective organisation. Didier Deschamps, stepping down after this tournament, now has the deepest attacking pool of any manager at the World Cup. Few teams will fancy facing them.
England’s Wembley fortnight to forget
England used this break as a final audition before Thomas Tuchel picks his World Cup squad, and came away with one draw and one defeat. Against Uruguay on 27 March, Ben White returned to the fold for the first time since the 2022 World Cup, was booed on introduction, scored his first international goal, then gave away a stoppage-time penalty that allowed Federico Valverde to equalise at 1-1. James Garner and James Trafford made their senior debuts, but the performance was flat throughout.
Four days later, Japan won 1-0 at Wembley through a Kaoru Mitoma counter-attacking finish — the first time England have lost to an Asian nation at senior level. Harry Kane missed the game with a minor knock, and with 19 attempts producing just four shots on target, the hosts were booed off at full-time. Tuchel was clearly using both games to assess fringe options, but a winless camp this close to a tournament is not the momentum anyone wanted. England are in Group L with Croatia, Ghana and Panama. They need Kane fit, and they need answers fast.
Not being called-up to England’s current squad sets Trent Alexander-Arnold’s World Cup aspirations in geopardy! Will Real Madrid’s ace miss the grandest stage of them all? pic.twitter.com/MmnhLIeI1R
— 365Scores (@365Scores) March 22, 2026
Messi and a last dance..?
Amid the playoff drama and the pre-tournament friendlies, one image cut through everything else. On 30 March, AFA team photographer Manuel Cortina shared a photo from Ezeiza — Argentina’s national training complex — captioning it as what was possibly Lionel Messi’s last ever training session at the facility. The 38-year-old, who has not publicly confirmed his participation at the World Cup, appeared visibly contemplative in the images, and the reaction across the football world was immediate.
Argentina went on to beat Zambia 5-0 at La Bombonera the following day, in what is expected to be their final home match before the tournament, with Messi scoring and assisting in front of a crowd that treated every touch as something to be treasured. He did not speak to the media throughout the window. Lionel Scaloni has made no secret of how desperately he wants his captain on the plane to North America. Whether or not Messi boards it remains, for now, the sport’s most loaded open question.
Scaloni on Lionel Messi:
— 365Scores (@365Scores) April 2, 2026
“If Leo Messi wants, I’m confident he can reach 1000 goals.”
The GOAT still has more to give🐐🔥 pic.twitter.com/FjYQjG9thr
The Rest
Elsewhere across the break, the USA were heavily defeated by Belgium in their first friendly of the window as Mauricio Pochettino’s figures out how to impress as co-hosts. Mexico and Portugal played out a competitive friendly that raised the temperature around their respective World Cup preparations, while Colombia tested France, although fell short, in in Les Bleus’ second outing of the window. Scotland — who qualified for the World Cup for the first time since 1998 — also played during the break, continuing preparations for a Group C that includes Brazil, Morocco and Haiti.
FAQs
Who qualified for the 2026 World Cup in the recent playoffs?
The six teams who secured spots in the final playoff window were Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sweden, Türkiye, Czech Republic, Iraq and DR Congo. They joined the 42 teams who had already qualified, completing the full 48-team field.
Why did Italy fail to qualify for the 2026 World Cup?
Italy were eliminated by Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UEFA playoff final on 31 March. The match finished 1-1 after extra time, with Italy losing on penalties. A red card for Alessandro Bastoni before half-time was the turning point. It is the third consecutive World Cup Italy have failed to qualify for
When does the 2026 World Cup start?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on 11 June, with Mexico facing South Africa in the opening match in Mexico City. The final takes place on 19 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Who are England playing at the 2026 World Cup?
England are in Group L alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Their opener is against Croatia on 17 June at AT&T Stadium in Texas.
What happened to Italy at the World Cup playoff?
Italy were knocked out by Bosnia and Herzegovina in the UEFA playoff final, losing on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Gennaro Gattuso’s side were reduced to ten men when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off before half-time, which proved decisive. It is the third consecutive World Cup Italy have failed to qualify for.
By Nicky Helfgott – NickyHelfgott1 on X (Twitter)
Keep up with all the latest football news and Premier League news on 365Scores!
