Soccer
The almighty scare suffered by Argentina in their thrilling last-32 tie against Cape Verde proves there are no easy opponents at the World Cup, believes Lionel Scaloni.
The world champions were at risk of being on the receiving end of the biggest upset in the tournament’s storied history, when debutants Cape Verde twice recovered from a goal down to draw level, once in regulation time and once in extra time.
Lionel Messi’s 20th World Cup goal put the Albiceleste in front, but Deroy Duarte’s angled drive ensured Cape Verde forced an additional 30 minutes.
Lisandro Martinez restored Argentina’s advantage with a rocket of a finish inside the near post, only for Sidny Cabral to score what was surely the best goal of the tournament to date, curling into the top-right corner to provoke wild scenes in the 103rd minute.
An unfortunate Diney Borges own goal ultimately ended Cape Verde’s heroic World Cup campaign, but Argentina are under no illusions about the size of the scare they faced.
“The match was very tough, you always have to take the positive, and that is that this team never gives up,” Scaloni told reporters afterwards.
“I congratulate the opponents and, when I say that there are no easy opponents, it is really like that. We rescued ourselves; the blows did not slow us down.
“They gave everything, this is Argentina, we do understand that. It would have been crazy to lose, but this is how it is. What are you going to do?
“Things can be improved, we’ll talk about that. In Qatar, the team received a hard blow [losing their opening game to Saudi Arabia] and kept trying.
“The fatigue of the players was due to the extra minutes and the heat. When you play with your heart, as they play, it helps to cover the lack of oxygen, and today we gave another show of character.
“I think we’re fine. Argentina’s thing is to know how to suffer and not give up. We must rest, though now we will have less rest, when we should have had more.”
Asked if he ever doubted that Argentina would advance, Scaloni said: “I am always cautious… My experience helps me to be like that.
“The game was ugly and could have gone the other way, although we were the ones who carried the weight of the match.”
Friday’s game was the 12th in Argentina’s World Cup history to go to extra time, equalling Germany’s record for the most by any nation.
Argentina have emerged as winners (including in penalty shoot-outs) from 10 of those 12 matches, winning four times in extra time and six times via spot-kicks.
Messi appeared reluctant to celebrate Argentina’s triumph following the full-time whistle, with many Argentina players instead consoling their Cape Verde counterparts.
Messi now has seven goals at the 2026 tournament, becoming the first player to ever reach that figure at multiple World Cups (also 2022), while he has also netted in a record-extending eight straight matches at the competition.
12 – Lionel Messi has scored 12 goals in his last 8 World Cup matches:
2022
v Australia
v Netherlands
v Croatia
v France2026
v Algeria
v Austria
v Jordan
v Cabo VerdeDivine. pic.twitter.com/2ud277AqME
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 3, 2026
“Today we knew that it was going to be a very tough match, that this team had not lost against Spain, or against Uruguay,” Messi told reporters in the mixed zone.
“This is what this World Cup, in particular, has been about. It is all very even, and all the matches are going to be very difficult.”
Messi has been involved in 12 goals in the knockout stages of the World Cup (six goals, six assists), more than any other player since assist data started being tracked in 1966.
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