Argentina captain Lionel Messi produced another memorable performance as the defending champions edged past Cape Verde 3-2 in an entertaining FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 clash.
The match turned out to be one of the biggest surprises of the tournament. Although Argentina eventually qualified for the Round of 16, Cape Verde pushed Lionel Scaloni’s side all the way and nearly pulled off one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history.
After the final whistle, Messi shared a light-hearted moment with the Cape Verde players that quickly won over football fans.
Messi’s Funny Comment Goes Viral
Following the thrilling contest, several Cape Verde players approached Messi for photographs and requested his jersey.
The Argentina superstar happily posed with them, but he also joked about how difficult they had made life for him during the match.
“They (Cape Verde players) asked for my jersey, everything… On the field, they kicked the crap out of me,” Messi said in the mixed zone, as quoted by TyC Sports.
His humorous remark quickly spread across social media, with fans appreciating both his honesty and sportsmanship.
Cape Verde Refused to Back Down
Cape Verde entered the match as underdogs, yet they produced one of the finest performances in the country’s football history.
The African nation, which became the smallest country ever to reach the FIFA World Cup knockout stage, matched Argentina for long periods and kept the reigning champions under constant pressure.
Despite the defeat, Cape Verde earned widespread praise for their fearless display against one of the tournament favourites.
Messi Was Closely Marked Throughout the Match
Cape Verde’s defenders focused heavily on stopping Messi from influencing the game.
The Argentina captain was fouled five times and rarely enjoyed space in the attacking third.
Even so, Messi found a way to make the difference. He opened the scoring in the 29th minute with another clinical finish, giving Argentina an early advantage.
The strike also extended his remarkable record of scoring in eight consecutive FIFA World Cup matches.
Argentina’s Captain Calls for Improvement
Although Argentina advanced to the Round of 16, Messi admitted that the team’s performance was far from perfect.
He said qualification was the priority, but the players now need to analyse the mistakes they made before the next knockout game.
“Today, we put in a huge effort, as always. We played well at times and badly at others. The important thing now is to rest, think about what’s coming next and take the positives from today’s game. Beyond qualifying, we also need to correct the mistakes because there were quite a few,” Messi said, as quoted by ESPN.
Argentina Lost Control After Taking the Lead
Messi also reflected on how the match changed after Argentina scored first.
He explained that the team expected to become more comfortable after taking the lead. However, Cape Verde responded brilliantly and forced Argentina into a difficult battle.
“We knew it was going to be a very tough match because this team hadn’t lost to Spain and Uruguay for a reason. We scored first and thought we would start playing our football, but the opposite happened. We lost possession, dropped deep and couldn’t press properly. They used their strengths very well,” Messi said.
Knockout Football Offers No Easy Matches
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner praised Cape Verde for their performance and reminded everyone that every knockout match presents a unique challenge.
According to Messi, Argentina always expected a difficult contest because no team reaches this stage by accident.
“We knew it was going to be difficult. This is a knockout tournament, and nobody gives you anything for free,” he added.
Argentina will now shift their focus to the Round of 16 as they continue their title defence. Meanwhile, Cape Verde leaves the tournament with its head held high after producing one of the most memorable underdog performances of FIFA World Cup 2026.