With Argentina among the favourites to win the 2026 Fifa World Cup, African minnows Cape Verde will face a huge task of slaying the South American giants in the round of 32 at the Miami Stadium on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 0:00am (CAT, GMT+2).
CURRENT FORM
The three-time world champions have been among the most impressive teams during the group stages and topped Group J on nine points, five points ahead of second-placed Austria.
Led by inspirational leader Lionel Messi, the Inter Miami star netted a hat-trick against Algeria in their opening match at the Kansas City Stadium on 17 June. Argentina continued their rampant run with a 2-0 win over Austria during matchday two while they solidified their place at the summit of group J with a 3-1 victory over Jordan on 28 June.
While Argentina showcased their vast array of attacking talent, Cape Verde opted for a strong defensive approach en route to qualifying for the next round.
With three points in second place, Cape Verde managed to hold Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia to consecutive draws in their group assignments as they became the smallest nation to reach the World Cup knockouts.
WHAT WAS SAID
Speaking after Cape Verde’s progression to the tournament’s round of 32, coach Pedro Leitao Brito expressed that his side were eager to showcase their talents on the biggest stage of international football.
"It's a bit of a shock, although we'd always had it in mind that we might reach this stage after the first two matches," Brito said.
"The team was really keen to show the whole world what we're made of; we were proud of what we'd already achieved.
“We're a small country, but we fight for what we want to achieve. For us, nothing is impossible."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Argentina: Lionel Messi – At the age of 39, Messi has been in the form of his life at the World Cup, scoring six goals in three group stage encounters. In turn, Messi became the tournament’s all-time leading scorer with 19 goals and could well extend his record on Saturday.
Cape Verde: Vozinha – In coming up against one of the world’s most feared sides, goalkeeper Vozinha could be in for a long 90 minutes in Miami this weekend. Much of Cape Verde’s success in the tie will rest on the exploits of their goalkeeper, who already has two clean sheets in the showpiece.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
This will be the first meeting between Argentina and Cape Verde.
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