Definition of International Friendly

What does the term "international friendly" mean? What is the definition of the term "international friendly"?

An "international friendly" is a sanctioned match between two national teams.

The "international friendly" doesn't have anything on the line, per se, though it will still count towards national rankings and international caps.

There are rules that govern international friendlies - in order to be considered official international friendlies, teams must field a minimum number of their national squad and not substitute too many players in a match.

-

Teams will often use international friendlies to sharpen their team chemistry ahead of big tournaments such as the World Cup.

For instance, Argentina might play Italy in an international friendly. There will be nothing on the line, though both teams will use the match to build their chemistry, and revenues will be generated from the contest.

-

As mentioned, international friendlies are useful when it comes to getting ready for major tournaments, as practice will only tell so much of the story.