Argentina survived one of the FIFA World Cup 2026's great upsets to defeat Cape Verde 3-2 in a breathless round of 32 encounter on Friday — but the island nation's performance will be remembered long after the final whistle.

Lionel Messi broke the deadlock after 29 minutes at Miami Stadium, scoring his 30th World Cup appearance milestone goal in characteristic style. The strike also extended his record of netting in eight successive World Cup matches and pushed him two goals clear of France's Kylian Mbappe in the race to become the tournament's all-time leading scorer.

Cape Verde shock the champions

The reigning champions appeared to be cruising, but Cape Verde — competing in their first World Cup knockout stage — refused to be overawed. Deroy Duarte pulled the African side level with a composed finish that silenced the Argentina supporters inside the stadium.

Lisandro Martinez restored Argentina's lead two minutes into extra time, smashing the ball into the roof of the net. Cape Verde, however, were not done. Sidny Cabral produced a stunning equaliser that many are already calling a goal-of-the-tournament contender, sending the match into further drama.

An own goal settles it

The decisive moment arrived in cruel fashion for Cape Verde. A corner from Messi was turned into his own net by the unfortunate Borges, ending the contest 3-2 and sending Argentina through to the next round.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni cut a visibly relieved figure at full time — and with good reason. His side were made to fight every step of the way by opponents ranked far below them on paper.

For Cape Verde, the defeat is a bittersweet conclusion to a remarkable debut at the World Cup. They depart without a victory, yet their performances — particularly this spirited display against the reigning champions — have earned them enormous respect from football fans across Africa and beyond.