Mauritania coach Aritz Lopez Garai proud ahead of historic Argentina friendly

Mauritania head coach Aritz Lopez Garai says facing Argentina in Buenos Aires will be a landmark moment for his team and his country.

His side will meet the world champions in a historic friendly at La Bombonera on March 27, a stage he describes as a dream occasion for a growing football nation.

“We are a small African nation that has made great strides in football recently. If you look at the map, you’ll see more deserts than cities or football pitches, but we are working hard to improve our game. This friendly is a great honor for us,” Lopez Garai said.

He called the match “a massive event,” underlining just how passionate Argentina is about the game and how much it means for Mauritania to be invited onto such a platform. “Argentina is a country obsessed with football. The fact that our national team will play against them is a huge shock. The players are ecstatic; for us, it will be an unforgettable day,” he added.

Argentina is using this friendly game to fine-tune its squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, while Mauritania is playing to assess its squad strength ahead of upcoming assignments.