Three times World champions Argentina thrashed a hastily assembled Burkina Faso Under-23 team 7-0 at El Monumental in an international friendly overshadowed by a senior-player boycott.
Five goals in the first half put the match beyond doubt. Lautaro Martínez, Gianluca Prestianni, Nico Paz and Julián Álvarez all scored, and an own goal from the visitors completed the tally. After the break, Franco Mastantuono and Giuliano Simeone added two more to complete the rout.
Senior squad boycott
The fixture was in doubt beforehand. Charter flights were cancelled, leaving Burkina Faso’s delegation caught in travel chaos in Casablanca.
Senior players then boycotted the trip over flight arrangements and financial terms, leaving the federation stranded. To avoid forfeiting the match, it called up its Under-23 squad at short notice.
The young players landed in Buenos Aires less than six hours before kickoff, after an exhausting transatlantic journey.
Next up
Argentina’s next fixture is an international friendly against Benin on October 6, 2026, which happens to be Leo Messi’s last match.
