Argentina edges Cape Verde in extra time, Messi suffers head knock ahead of Egypt clash

Argentina narrowly defeated Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 match on Friday, July 3, in Miami. Lionel Messi opened the scoring for Argentina, extending his record for World Cup goals.

During the intense match, Messi sustained a knee to the head and was seen with a swelling bruise on his forehead, though he completed the full 120 minutes. Defender Cristian Romero, who had been recovering from a knee injury, returned to full training ahead of the Cape Verde game, providing a boost to the squad.

The defending champions had been training in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in preparation for the knockout stages. Their 26-man World Cup squad was confirmed earlier, with coach Lionel Scaloni having rotated players in the final group stage match to ensure freshness for the crucial knockout rounds.

Lionel Messi acknowledged the difficulty of the match, stating, "We knew it wasn't going to be easy at all, and that's what this World Cup, in particular, is all about. It's very evenly matched, very complicated, and every game is going to be extremely difficult." He also emphasized the need for improvement, adding, "I think there are positives because we did some good things, and we also need to correct the bad ones, which I think were many today as well."

Social media was abuzz with reactions to Cape Verde's spirited performance. On platforms like X (formerly Twitter), many users praised Cape Verde for taking the world champions to their limits, with some calling it "the biggest justification imaginable for a 48-team World Cup" and hailing them as "the real heroes" despite the loss. There was also concern among fans regarding Messi's head injury, with many hoping it would not impact his ability to play in the next match.

Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at Atlanta Stadium