Argentina survived a wild, draining FIFA World Cup Round of 32 contest, edging past Cabo Verde 3-2 in extra time to book their place in the Round of 16. The scores were level at 1-1 after the regulation 90 minutes, sending the match into extra time, where three more goals followed. The match also produced a landmark moment for Lionel Messi, whose goal was his 20th World Cup goal, making him the first player in the world to play 30 World Cup matches. Argentina will now face Egypt in the Round of 16.
First half: Argentina hold on to Messi's lead
Argentina took the first half 1-0 thanks to a Messi goal, though the minutes that followed produced little further drama. Argentina repeatedly tried to break down Cabo Verde's box, but the African side's defenders held firm every time. Cabo Verde's plan was clear, sit deep, absorb the South Americans' pressure, and look to break forward on the counter whenever the chance arose, a strategy that would go on to shape the entire match.
Set pieces and small flashpoints kept coming, a sign of how cautiously both sides were playing. In the 35:15th minute Nahuel Molina was caught offside. At 39:09 Argentina benefited from a foul by Deroy Duarte, and Thiago Almada won a free kick in the defensive half. At 40:43 Facundo Medina was caught in an offside trap. At 41:30 Enzo Fernandez won a free kick in the defensive half, while in the same minute Deroy Duarte was flagged for a foul again. At 42:16 Messi won a free kick in the defensive half, and a foul by Dyni Borges was also recorded. At 42:34 Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha won a free kick in the defensive half, and a foul on Lautaro Martinez was also called around the same time.
The match's closest chance so far arrived at 44:19, when Enzo Fernandez struck a powerful right foot shot from outside the penalty box, only for Vozinha to react sharply and keep out the ball as it headed for the bottom right corner. Just before the break, the fourth official signalled 4 minutes of stoppage time. In that added time, a foul by Messi was recorded at 46:44, and Cabo Verde's Sidney Cabral won a free kick in the defensive half in return. The first half ended with that scoreline intact, Argentina 1, Cabo Verde 0. Apart from Messi's goal, little else of note happened in the opening 45 minutes, though Cabo Verde's defensive discipline was already evident.
Around this stage, a separate feature saw coach Pradyum Reddy share his views on Messi's World Cup exploits in this later phase of his career, and explain why players like Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo keep breaking records even at this age. Messi has spent close to two decades redefining football's records. Four years have passed since he lifted the World Cup with Argentina, yet the 39 year old legend is once again drawing the world's attention on football's biggest stage and adding fresh milestones to a glittering career. The episode, titled In Focus, traced Messi's transformation from a Barcelona star who dominated European football to Argentina's hero on the international stage, while also covering his latest World Cup records, the changes in his game and leadership, and how he and Cristiano Ronaldo have both stayed at the very top well into their late thirties. It also touched on what young Indian footballers can learn from Messi's journey, and looked ahead at the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Second half: Cabo Verde's historic equaliser
Before the second half kicked off, another major fact had already emerged, Cabo Verde had become the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup, an achievement that reflects both the spirit and the talent of its players.
The second half began with Argentina's 1-0 lead intact, but Cabo Verde soon showed their true intent. At 57:17 a foul by Cristian Romero gave Cabo Verde a free kick, which Laros Duarte won in the defensive half. Almost immediately after, at 58:38, Cabo Verde drew level. Deroy Duarte struck a right foot shot from a tight angle on the right side that flew into the bottom left corner. The goal was assisted by Ryan Mendes, and the score became 1-1. Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had no chance to react to the fast, sharply angled low shot, which passed through the legs of one of his own defenders. The fairytale of this small African nation was building further, and the match had effectively reset from scratch.
Argentina search for a winner, Cabo Verde defend stubbornly
After conceding the equaliser, Argentina raised the intensity, but the goal would not come easily. At 62:16 Argentina won a corner after Dyni Borges put the ball behind his own goal line. Just before that, at 62:12, Messi struck a right foot shot from the centre of the box, a chance created by Lautaro Martinez's through ball, but Vozinha gathered it in the middle of the goal.
Argentina made two changes around this point. At 62:59 Julian Alvarez replaced Lautaro Martinez, and at 63:03 Nico Gonzalez came on for Thiago Almada. The impact of the changes showed quickly, at 66:15 Enzo Fernandez struck a right foot shot from the left of the box, a chance created by Nico Gonzalez, but the ball went out to the right.
Cabo Verde also began making their own switches. At 66:40 Jamiro Monteiro replaced Laros Duarte, and at 66:47 Dylan Livramento came on for Nuno da Costa. At 67:35 a foul by Kevin Pina gave Argentina a free kick, and in the same minute captain Messi won another free kick in the opposition half. Around this time, at 67:41, Kevin Pina was shown a yellow card for a poor foul, a sign of how physical the contest had become.
At 68:40 a left foot shot by Messi from outside the box was blocked by a Cabo Verde defender. At 70:57 Messi won a free kick in the opposition half, the result of a foul by Deroy Duarte. At 72:16 Argentina won a corner after Vozinha's intervention put the ball out, while at 72:08 Vozinha produced a brilliant save to keep out a Messi left foot shot from outside the box, tipping it away in the upper middle of the goal. The Cabo Verde goalkeeper's sharpness would prove crucial for his side several more times before the night was over.
At 72:58 the match paused for a hydration break, giving players a chance to drink water. Soon after, at 72:42, Nico Gonzalez headed narrowly wide from the centre of the penalty box, a chance created by Rodrigo De Paul's cross following a corner.
Two separate fouls were recorded in the 76th minute, a foul by Alexis Mac Allister gave Cabo Verde a free kick, and Jamiro Monteiro was also fouled in the attacking half, earning Cabo Verde another free kick. Around this stage, it was becoming clear that even if Argentina were arguably not at their peak in this World Cup, Cabo Verde staying level while absorbing pressure for so much of the match was an extraordinary achievement. This small African island nation had already won hearts during the group stage, and knocking out the defending world champions would have been the biggest upset in World Cup history. The closing stages promised to be thrilling.
At the 77th minute Kevin Pina struck a direct free kick from outside the box with his right foot, but it went wide of the left post. In the same minute, a foul by Dylan Livramento offered relief to Cristian Romero, who then won his own free kick in the defensive half. At the 78th minute Enzo Fernandez won a foul in Argentina's defensive half, and in the same minute a foul on Kevin Pina gave Argentina another set piece opportunity.
At the 79th minute Cabo Verde made a double change, Willy Semedo replaced Ryan Mendes and Helio Varela came on for Jovane Cabral. At the 80th minute Pico Lopez conceded another corner as Argentina kept up the pressure in search of a goal. At the 83rd minute Kevin Pina gave away a corner to Argentina. Around this time, a field trajectory map was released showing exactly how Deroy Duarte's remarkable strike had travelled into the net.
Also at the 83rd minute, Argentina brought on Leandro Paredes for Rodrigo De Paul. Enzo Fernandez was also penalised for handball, handing Cabo Verde a free kick. From Messi's corner cross, Nico Gonzalez headed from the centre of the penalty area, but the effort went out to the right of goal.
At the 85th minute Argentina were forced into a change through injury, Nicolas Tagliafico replaced Facundo Medina. In the same minute, Helio Varela was caught offside. At the 86th minute a right foot shot by Alexis Mac Allister from the right of the box was blocked by a Cabo Verde defender before it could reach goal, and in the same minute Argentina won another corner off Deroy Duarte. At the 88th minute Mac Allister tried a header from the centre of the box off a Messi cross, but a Cabo Verde defender blocked it before it could go towards goal.
At the 90th minute the fourth official signalled eight minutes of stoppage time, itself a marker of how many breaks and changes the match had already seen. At the 91st minute Leandro Paredes struck from distance with his right foot, the shot heading for the upper middle of the goal, but Vozinha did well to save it, the chance having been created by Alexis Mac Allister. At the 93rd minute Messi won a free kick in the attacking half, while Cabo Verde's Jamiro Monteiro was penalised for a foul. At the 94th minute Argentina's Julian Alvarez was also penalised for a foul, and in the same minute Vozinha produced a fine save to hold Enzo Fernandez's header from the centre of the box. Moments later Vozinha also stopped a powerful Messi left foot shot from outside the penalty area, holding it in the middle of the goal, and in that same minute Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha himself won a free kick in his own team's defensive half.
At the 95th minute Nico Gonzalez was penalised for a foul, while Cabo Verde's Steven Moreira won a free kick for his team in the attacking half. At the 97th minute Nicolas Tagliafico won a free kick in his own defensive half, and Willy Semedo was penalised for a foul.
Regulation time ended level at 1-1, sending the match into extra time, itself a sensation. Players on both sides looked visibly exhausted, yet Cabo Verde wanted to make the most of every moment in search of a goal that would shake the footballing world. Argentina repeatedly aimed at goal and did everything they could to settle the tie before extra time, but the wall built by Vozinha and Cabo Verde's defenders would not break.
Three more goals in extra time, an own goal decides it
The first half of extra time began with the score at 1-1. At the 91st minute Argentina won a corner off Cabo Verde's Pico Lopez, from which Alexis Mac Allister tried a header from the left of the six yard box, but the ball went out to the right, the delivery having come from a Messi cross.
Argentina took the lead at the 92nd minute. From a chance created by Alexis Mac Allister after a corner, Lisandro Martinez struck a powerful left foot shot from the right of the box that flew into the top right corner. The score became Argentina 2, Cabo Verde 1.
Cabo Verde kept pressing even after falling behind. At 95:11 Cabo Verde won a corner off Alexis Mac Allister, and at 95:39 another corner came off Nico Gonzalez. At 96:01 Dyni Borges headed from the centre of the box off a Sidney Cabral cross from a corner, but the ball went out to the left. At 96:03 Cabo Verde won yet another corner off Lisandro Martinez, and at 96:35 a right foot shot by Steven Moreira from outside the box, created by Helio Varela, was blocked.
At 97:56 a right foot shot by Julian Alvarez from the centre of the box was blocked, and just moments earlier, at 97:55, a left foot shot by Messi had also been blocked, a chance created by Julian Alvarez himself. At 97:58 Argentina won a corner after Sidney Cabral put the ball out of play. At 98:50 a right foot shot by Enzo Fernandez from outside the box was also blocked by opposition players.
Cabo Verde made two more changes in this period, at 99:15 Yannick Semedo replaced Deroy Duarte, and at 99:22 Gilson Benchimol replaced Kevin Pina.
Perhaps the most memorable moment of the match arrived at 102:41. Sidney Cabral struck a right foot shot from the left of the box that flew straight into the top right corner, assisted by Yannick Semedo. The score became Argentina 2, Cabo Verde 2. Sidney Lopez Cabral's wonder goal could well be the goal of the tournament, and in a single moment it brought Cabo Verde right back into the contest.
At 103:26 Argentina brought on Gonzalo Montiel for Nahuel Molina. At the 105th minute the fourth official announced 3 minutes of stoppage time. At 105:56 a left foot shot by Messi from the centre of the box was saved by Vozinha in the middle of the goal, while at 105:58 a right foot shot by Gonzalo Montiel from the centre of the box was blocked by defenders. The first half of extra time ended with the score still at 2-2.
The second half of extra time also began at 2-2. At 106:44 a foul by Jamiro Monteiro gave Argentina a free kick, won by Alexis Mac Allister in the attacking half. At 107:49 a right foot shot by Yannick Semedo from outside the box, created by Gilson Benchimol, went out to the left.
At 108:48 Nicolas Tagliafico was caught in an offside trap, halting an Argentina attack. At 109:25 Willy Semedo was accused of a foul, in return for which Nicolas Tagliafico won a free kick in his own defensive half. At 110:03 Argentina won a corner after Dyni Borges put the ball out of play, from which Cristian Romero headed from the left of the six yard box, but the ball went out to the right, the chance having come from a Messi cross.
Argentina got a big let off at 110:31. The same Messi cross reached Romero, and the ball deflected off Dyni Borges into Cabo Verde's own net, putting Argentina back in front. The own goal took the score to Argentina 3, Cabo Verde 2.
At 113:31 a left foot shot by Willy Semedo from the left of the box, created by Jamiro Monteiro, was blocked. At 114:33 Helio Varela won a free kick after a foul on the left wing, and in the same minute Gonzalo Montiel committed a foul. At 114:37 Gonzalo Montiel was shown a yellow card for a dangerous foul. At 115:33 a long range right foot shot by Sidney Cabral from a difficult angle on the left, heading for the top right corner, was kept out by a brilliant save from Emiliano Martinez. Around the same time, at 115:34, Cabo Verde won a corner off Emiliano Martinez.
At 118:23 Dyni Borges headed from the centre of the box off a Steven Moreira cross, the ball heading for the bottom left corner, but Emiliano Martinez produced another superb save. At 118:27 Cabo Verde won yet another corner off Emiliano Martinez. At 119:01 Dylan Livramento was caught offside.
At 120:15 a right foot shot by Helio Varela from outside the box, supplied by Yannick Semedo, was blocked. At 120:17 Cabo Verde won another corner off Lisandro Martinez. At 120:24 the fourth official announced 3 minutes of stoppage time. At the 121st minute a right foot shot by Jamiro Monteiro from outside the penalty box was blocked, and a right foot shot by Helio Varela from outside the penalty box went out to the left of goal.
The second half of extra time finally ended with Argentina winning 3-2. After the 1-1 deadlock in regulation, both sides scored three more goals in extra time, and the decisive final goal turned out to be Cabo Verde's own own goal, which shattered their World Cup dream. Even so, the small African side's performance was praiseworthy, they challenged the defending world champions strongly with brilliant goals and a fight that lasted right until the end.
Messi's new record and a next stop against Egypt
Along with the win, Argentina also added another big milestone. Messi's first half goal was the 20th World Cup goal of his career, and with this match he became the first footballer in the world to play 30 World Cup matches. For the 39 year old, who has spent nearly two decades rewriting football's record books, it is another milestone that shows how, four years after winning the World Cup with Argentina in 2022, he continues to dominate the sport's biggest stage.
For Cabo Verde, this tournament was historic in its own right. They became the smallest nation ever to reach the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup, and by taking the defending world champions all the way to extra time, they proved their presence in the tournament was no fluke. From the group stage through to this Round of 32 match, this small African island nation won over the footballing world with their spirit.
Argentina will now face Egypt in the Round of 16.
