More pre-World Cup friendlies to dissect now as we review wins for Croatia, Ecuador and Colombia and the 1-1 draw between Morocco and Norway.

All five of these teams, plus Jordan, who Colombia beat, were contesting their final kickabouts before the meaningful action gets underway, so there were some notable takeaways for Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026 managers ahead of Round 1.

• READ MORE: World Cup friendly notes: De Cuyper a sub + $3.6m Gunn starts
• READ MORE: World Cup friendly notes: Raum a sub again + two Havertz returns
• READ MORE: World Cup friendly notes: Wesley, Alvarez + Paz injury latest

You can find Opta data from all four of these friendlies in our Members Area, via the links below:

CROATIA 2-1 Slovenia

• Goals: Modric, Pasalic
• Assists: Perisic, Stanisic

• After back-to-back friendly losses, Croatia really needed this win for confidence.
• Croatia dominated with 67% possession, 22 shots compared to 13, and double the amount of corners (eight v four). It was 2-2 on big chances.
• It was a 4-2-3-1 for Croatia this time, after several disappointing results with a back three.
• Livakovic played in goal, with Gvardiol and Stanisic at full-back. Pongracic and Erlic were at centre-back, although we should expect to see Sutalo and Vuskovic fill those spots usually.
• The central midfield duo of Modric and Kovacic didn’t change from the previous game, while Perisic kept his spot, but on the left wing rather than left wing-back. Marco Pasalic actually started this one on the right flank.
• The changes continued with Kramaric playing in the number 10 role and Budimir ahead of him.
• Croatia opted for a starting line-up of experience rather than youth (to some degree) this time around.
• Stanisic was the star of the backline, registering an assist and two key passes.
• 40-year-old Modric didn’t even get an hour but still scored and created three key passes. Perisic was also positive: he delivered an assist, two key passes, and two shots on target.
• Budimir and centre-forward replacement Matanovic racked up eight shots between them. Marco Pasalic and Mario Pasalic joined Modric on three key passes, but sub Baturina bettered that with five.
• It was a good win for Croatia, but rotation and the change of formation suggest uncertainty from the manager going into this tournament. They are far from settled.

MOROCCO 1-1 NORWAY

• Goals: Diaz | Odegaard
• Assists: Ezzalzouli | Bobb

• This was a pretty even game. Norway had the lion’s share of possession (54% v 46%) and corners (11 v 3) but Morocco edged it on big chances (3 v 2) and shots (13 v 9). This was a great opportunity to see where both teams were at, heading into the World Cup.
• Bono was in goal for Morocco, as we’d expect. Mazraoui started at left-back, although there is concern for him as he left the pitch injured in the 29th minute and was replaced by Belammari. Riad and Diop came in at centre-back, while Hakimi returned at right-back after resting since the Champions League final. They all played 65 minutes max until being subbed.
• Bouaddi and Aynaoui started in central midfield, with the latter starting ahead of Amrabat, who eventually got to play in the second half. Brahim Diaz was on the right wing as expected, with Ezzalzouli on the left as usual. The latter was subbed off injured after 45 minutes, though, which is a worry. Ounahi played 64 minutes in the number 10 role.
• The big news is that Fantasy midfielder Saibari played ‘out of position’ (OOP) again up front, so it’s now back-to-back starts up top for him ahead of striker El Kaabi, who had to make do with a 25-minute cameo.
• Hakimi impressed with two key passes and a shot on target. Diaz scored, carved out two key passes (including one big chance), and had two shots on target. A great overall performance from him. Before injury, Ezzalzouli was very good, registering an assist, two key passes and five attempts on goal (including two big chances). The ‘OOP’ Saibari had one shot on target but also created a big chance.
• Encouragingly for Morocco, the Norway equaliser came towards the end of the game, when the Atlas Lions had taken off most of their best players. Injuries to Mazraoui and Ezzalzouli are major concerns, of course.
• It was a 4-3-3 from Norway.
• Nyland started in goal, while Wolfe appears to be number one in the left-back role after back-to-back starts. Heggem and Ajer also started at centre-back, with popular Fantasy pick Ryerson on the right.
• Aursnes, Berge and Odegaard covered the central midfield, with Nusa starting on the left, although he played just 45 minutes before being replaced by Schjelderup. Sorloth got 72 minutes on the right, with Haaland returning to the starting line-up and playing a healthy 72 minutes, getting him up to speed before the start of the tournament.
• Ryerson was as creative as ever, with four key passes and a big chance created. Odegaard scored the late equaliser, while Sorloth was the only Norwegian to have more than one shot. Haaland was limited to a solitary effort.

ECUADOR 3-0 Guatemala

• Goals: J Caicedo pen, Angulo, Estupinan

• Ecuador dominated this match, with 67% possession, five big chances, 18 shots and six corners. This type of result can be expected against Guatemala though; their 7-0 loss to Algeria is a good example of their quality or lack thereof. They had only three shots here, none on target.
• The back three system remained for Ecuador, but there was a lot of rotation.
• Galindez was between the sticks and Ecuador have now started a different ‘keeper in all three of their previous friendlies. However, Galindez started 12/18 qualifiers and knowing he played 72 minutes of the pre-World Cup warm-up match should be a positive.
• Outside of Franco, none of the usual backline started the game. We also saw no regulars start in attack. Ordonez (centre-half), Hincapie (left-back/centre-back), M Caicedo and Vite (both midfield) came on for the second half, while wingers Angulo and Yeboah both emerged on the hour mark. Estupinan featured late on. Most of the first team were on the pitch after 60 minutes.
• There were noticeable absences, with physical issues for forward E Valencia and centre-back Pacho meaning that they missed out on this one. It sounds like they were just rests, according to some Ecuadorean media outlets.
• J Caicedo converted a penalty whilst Valencia was absent, with the other two goals coming when the first team players came on. Angulo scored in his 30-minute cameo, while Estupinan only played 13 minutes but scored and supplied a key pass.

COLOMBIA 2-0 JORDAN

• Goals: J.Arias x2
• Assists: Rodriguez, S.Arias

• Colombia dominated possession (64% v 36%) and had double the big chances (4 v 2), more shots (14 v 10), and more corners (3 v 1). To concede two big shots and 10 attempts to Jordan, however, could be seen as a slight concern.
• This was a super-strong starting XI from Colombia; no messing about here. The coach was very careful with their minutes, however.
• Vargas was in goal, which was a positive. There were some doubts over his game-time in the tournament but the consensus opinion seems to be swaying towards him starting in Round 1, and him starting this one is a positive.
• Mojica, Lucumi, Sanchez and Munoz made up the usual back four, while Lerma and Puerta filled the central midfield spots. Rios is expected to get the nod ahead of Puerta, though. Luis Diaz and James Rodriguez flanked Suarez in attack, with J Arias in a number 10 role.
• Rodriguez was on his usual set-piece duty, registering an assist from one big chance created and two key passes. He had one attempt on goal. Diaz failed to register a single attempt or key pass, while Suarez ended the match shotless.
• Arias scored both goals (both from big chances), created a big chance and made two key passes.
• Jordan were dominated but they still created some chances, which is a positive.
• They went with a back three/five again, with Taha, Abunalnadi, Al-Arab, Rousan and Haddad across the backline as expected.
• Al-Rawabdeh and Al-Rashdan were in midfield again. Fakhouri started on the left, although we may not see many starts from him. Tamari was on the right, with Olwan up top.
• Tamari had three attempts on goal, while wing-back Haddad also had an attempt and created two key passes.
• Overall, it’s not looking good for Jordan heading into the competition.