Messi and Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time thriller, advancing to World Cup Round of 16
- On Friday, July 3, 2026, defending champions Argentina face debutants Cape Verde in the World Cup Round of 32 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
- Cape Verde advanced to the knockout stage with three draws in Group J, securing a historic spot against past winners Spain and Uruguay.
- Captain Lionel Messi leads the defending champions with six goals in this tournament, extending his all-time World Cup scoring record to 19 goals.
- The winner advances to the Round of 16 in Atlanta to face either Australia or Egypt in the next stage of the World Cup.
- Analysts view Argentina as heavy favorites, though the African side aims to secure what would be one of the most famous upsets in football history.
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429 Articles
Cape Verde bow out with heads held high after historic World Cup run
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Cape Verde's remarkable FIFA World Cup debut came to a heartbreaking end on Friday, but the tournament's smallest nation departed the global stage with admiration after pushing defending champions Argentina to extra time before falling 3-2 in the Round of 32.The Blue Sharks, playing in their first-ever World Cup, stunned the football world by advancing from a group featuring Spain and Uruguay before coming within minutes of…
FIFA World Cup: Messi answers the call once again as Argentina survive scare
Lionel Messi stole the World Cup spotlight once again as Argentina edged Cape Verde 3-2 in an extra-time thriller on Friday, but his virtuoso display only reaffirmed the perception that the reigning champions are still overly reliant on one man.
Miami. This time it was not Lionel Messi’s left hand, but a head of Central Defense Cristian Romero that rescued Argentina from the abyss before the amateur, but always combative Cape Verde, in a duel that extended until the extra times (3-2, 1-1 in the 90 minutes) to advance to the eighths of the World Cup.
Cape Verde brings world champion Argentina to the brink of retirement. Only in the extension will Messi & Co. decide a gripping World Cup crime.
Egypt makes history, heartbreak for Cape Verde at World Cup
Heartbreak for Cape Verde as the World Cup debutants bowed out after a thrilling 3-2 extra-time defeat to defending champions Argentina. The Blue Sharks twice battled back to level the match, pushing Lionel Messi's side to the limit in one of the tournament's biggest surprise performances.
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