[Recap] World Cup 2026 Final Tune-Up: June 7 International Friendlies Full Results — Croatia Win with Farewell Goal for Modrić, Morocco 1-1 Norway, Argentina Blank Honduras Without Messi

In the "final week" just before WC 2026 kicks off, four matches were played on 6/7 local time. Croatia won 2-1 against Slovenia in a home send-off game for Modrić and others. The fellow participant nation clash Morocco × Norway ended 1-1, with Brahim Díaz and Ødegaard trading goals. Argentina rested Messi and beat Honduras 2-0, while Ecuador won 3-0 with a clean sheet. Here's a quick recap of each result, scorers, "takeaways," and "concerns."

info This article covers matches from the "final week (from 6/5 onward)" friendlies on 6/7 (Argentina × Honduras was played on the night of 6/6 locally = 6/7 Japan time). For analysis on whether "countries that accumulate match practice until the very end have an advantage," see the article original analysis article.

calendar_month Score Summary (6/7)

Croatia 2-1 Slovenia
Morocco 1-1 Norway
Argentina 2-0 Honduras
Ecuador 3-0 Guatemala

_(Slovenia, Honduras, and Guatemala are not participating in WC 2026. Morocco and Norway are both WC 2026 participants.)_

sports_soccer Croatia 2-1 Slovenia (Modrić's Home Send-Off Game)

Venue: Stadion Varteks (Varaždin). A home "send-off match" for Modrić and other key players.
Scorers: Modrić (51'), Šporar (83' – Slovenia), Pašalić (90+3')
Takeaway: Despite being pegged back once, Pašalić scored the winner in added time. Modrić's opener and a dramatic victory send them into the tournament.
Concern: The defense conceding an equalizer in the 83rd minute. The lack of defensive solidity at the end needs to be addressed.

sports_soccer Morocco 1-1 Norway (A Marquee Clash Between Two WC Participants)

Venue: Red Bull Arena (New Jersey). The final match before the World Cup for both nations.
Scorers: Brahim Díaz (8' – Morocco), Ødegaard (75' – Norway)
Takeaway: Morocco struck early with an opening goal. Norway's ace Ødegaard showed his pride with a gutsy equalizer.
Concern: Haaland was kept quiet and missed key chances for Norway. Morocco could not hold on and settled for a draw.

info Editor's Comment — A Japan Supporter's Perspective

The match I had my eye on was this Norway × Morocco fixture. Morocco is in Group C, which Japan — in Group F — could face in the knockout stage if they advance as group winners or runners-up, making it a highly relevant match for anyone rooting for the Japan national team. On top of that, Norway is also a potential opponent if they top their group and Japan progress from Group F as third-placed qualifiers — yet another reason this friendly was impossible to ignore.

It had me on edge from the very first minute. The passing, the players' runs, the shooting, the defensive pressure — the speed of it all was truly world-class. It felt like watching a title-deciding clash in the Premier League. Honestly, I could see both teams going very deep at the World Cup.

At the same time, it was a completely different level of intensity compared to Japan × Iceland, and it honestly frightened me. Can Japan really compete against opponents at this level? Will they be caught off guard and spend the first half being largely dominated? If they've had no recent competitive matches and have been doing nothing but going through the motions in training — the thought crossed my mind that this could end in a massive disappointment.

There is no question: these two nations are formidable opponents. To be honest, I'm not sure the current Japan side can keep up. That's exactly why I sincerely hope they approach their final preparations with a real sense of urgency.

The Netherlands × Uzbekistan friendly is coming up soon. Waiting until then to gauge how serious the Netherlands look will be too late. I want them to discuss — right now — how to recreate this razor-sharp, match-day intensity in training and then go out and do it. As a huge Japan national team fan, this was a match that stirred up exactly those kinds of feelings.

sports_soccer Argentina 2-0 Honduras (Messi Rested)

Venue: Kyle Field (College Station, Texas). ※ Played on the night of 6/6 locally (6/7 Japan time).
Scorers: Lautaro Martinez (37' – penalty), Giuliano Simeone (second half)
Takeaway: A comfortable clean-sheet win even without Messi, demonstrating the champions' squad depth.
Concern: Messi missed out with muscle fatigue. Getting him back to full fitness is the key to the tournament.

sports_soccer Ecuador 3-0 Guatemala

Venue: Scotts Miracle-Gro Field (Columbus).
Scorers: Jordi Caicedo (19' – penalty), Nilson Angulo (73'), Estupinan (78')
Takeaway: A dominant clean-sheet win with 67% possession and 6 shots on target to 0. Their compact defensive style and fast counter-attacking game clicked.
Concern: The opposition were clearly outclassed. A genuine test will have to wait for the real thing.

local_fire_department Summary

In the 6/7 batch of final-week fixtures, Croatia capped Modrić's home send-off with a dramatic victory, while Ecuador and Argentina also cruised to wins. The all-WC-participant clash between Morocco and Norway ended 1-1 — Haaland went quiet while Ødegaard showed his quality. Argentina kept a clean sheet even without Messi, displaying the kind of composure you'd expect from the world champions.

"Do countries that accumulate match practice right up until the tournament really have an advantage?" — that hypothesis will be put to the test in article this original analysis article, with the answers checked once the group stage is complete.

The latest schedule can be found on the article Calendar, and each nation's group assignments on the article Teams page.

_※ Scores and scorers are based on reporting from ESPN, Sky Sports, and respective national football associations. Dates are given in local time (Argentina × Honduras was played on the night of 6/6 locally = 6/7 Japan time). Player photos: Wikimedia Commons._