Messi praises Cape Verde after Argentina's 3-2 World Cup win, eyes Egypt clash
Argentina edged past Cape Verde 3-2 in the Round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on July 4, with Lionel Messi scoring the opening goal. After the match, Messi praised Cape Verde, saying it was no surprise that sides like Spain and Uruguay had failed to beat them earlier in the tournament. He admitted his team expected a tough test, given the Africans' performances against those European giants.
Messi said scoring first gave them a false sense of control; Argentina lost shape at times, conceded twice, conceded twice? Wait need correct sentence: "scoring first"? Actually we need to correct: "Messi said scoring first gave them a false sense of control; Argentina lost shape at times, conceded twice and had to fight back to win. He now has 20 international goals, seven in this World Cup, while Argentina remains undefeated and has conceded only three goals so far. The Albiceleste will meet Egypt in the Round of 16 on July 7 at Atlanta Stadium.
The win shows Cape Verde's growing stature on the world stage, but also flags a potential weakness for Argentina—defensive lapses under pressure. With Egypt next, will Messi's side tighten up at the back, or will they lean on individual brilliance to progress?