Mexico defeats Serbia 5-1 in World Cup warm‑up friendly

Mexico's national football team won 5‑1 against Serbia in a friendly match at the Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca on 5 June 2026. The victory served as the final preparation for the World Cup debut against South Africa on 11 June.

During the game, a confrontation arose when Mexican left‑back Jesús Gallardo slapped Serbian coach Veljko Paunović after a disputed restart. Team manager Javier Aguirre stepped in, escorted Paunović to the bench, and the two later reconciled with a handshake. Gallardo later apologized to Paunović in the dressing‑room, describing the incident as a momentary lapse.