Lionel Messi’s Argentina survived their toughest test of the 2026 World Cup so far, needing extra time to see off a brave Cape Verde side and advance 3-2 in a thrilling Round of 32 clash at Miami Stadium. Messi opened the scoring before the Blue Sharks twice fought back to level the score, forcing La […] Lionel Messi’s Argentina survived their toughest test of the 2026 World Cup so far, needing extra time to see off a brave Cape Verde side and advance 3-2 in a thrilling Round of 32 clash at Miami Stadium.
Messi opened the scoring before the Blue Sharks twice fought back to level the score, forcing La Albiceleste to dig deep before finally sealing the win late in the additional 30 minutes.
Speaking after the match, Messi credited Cape Verde’s approach while acknowledging the difficulty of the knockout stage going forward. “They hurt us with their strengths. We knew it was going to be difficult. This is the knockout stage, and nobody gives you anything,” Messi told reporters.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy at all. Everything is very even and very competitive. Every match is going to be extremely tough. I think the most important thing now is to rest and focus on what’s ahead. We did some good things, but we have a lot to correct because we also made plenty of mistakes,” he added.
With the result, Argentina move on to face Egypt in the Round of 16, with the match set for Tuesday, July 7, at Atlanta Stadium. Egypt booked their spot in the next round by beating Australia on penalties earlier in the day.
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