Jun 27

Jun 27 Messi’s Argentina Set for Cape Verde Clash as World Cup Underdogs Dream of Historic Upset

Defending champions Argentina have been handed a Round of 32 meeting with tournament newcomers Cape Verde, setting up a fascinating clash between one of football’s biggest nations and one of the competition’s surprise packages.

Lionel Messi and his teammates will face the Blue Sharks in Miami as coach Lionel Scaloni’s side continues its pursuit of a second consecutive FIFA World Cup title.

Argentina reached the knockout stage in impressive fashion, with Messi once again leading from the front and creating more history. The captain scored twice in a 2-0 victory over Austria, becoming the all-time leading scorer in men’s football history.

The brace came after Messi’s opening-day hat-trick against Algeria, taking him two goals clear of previous record holders Miroslav Klose and Kylian. He also became only the third player after Just Fontaine and Jairzinho to score in six consecutive World Cup matches.

The reigning champions finished top of Group J with a goal difference of plus five, strengthening their position as one of the favourites to lift the trophy again.

However, Cape Verde enter the knockout stage with one of the tournament’s most inspiring stories. The debutants secured second place in Group H behind European champions Spain, becoming one of the smallest nations by population to reach this stage of the competition.

Although the Blue Sharks did not record a victory in the group stage, they earned three valuable points through impressive draws against Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.

Now, they face the biggest test in their football history against Messi’s Argentina.

Opinion: On paper, Argentina are clear favourites, but World Cup football has always produced unforgettable surprises. Cape Verde’s journey has already exceeded expectations, and they have nothing to lose against the champions. For Messi and Argentina, the challenge will be avoiding complacency against a team that has already proven it can compete with bigger nations.