Lionel Messi confirmed the stellar test put up by Cabo Verde after defending champions Argentina survived a dramatic scare to secure a 3-2 extra-time victory in the 32nd FIFA World Cup 2026 final.The reigning champions were pushed to the limit by the tournament debutants in a thrilling contest in Florida before eventually sealing their place in the last 16. Speaking after the game, Messi admitted that Argentina expected a tough night and praised Cabo Verde for their fearless play.“We knew this would be a very difficult game. At the World Cup, nobody gives you anything for free. Now it’s about resting, learning from today and focusing on the next game. Also, congratulations to Cape Verde for that great performance,” Messi told the media after the win.Messi also highlighted Argentina’s fighting spirit after the team saw off Cabo Verde’s equalizer twice during the enthralling encounter.“As this team has shown many times and as I have said many times, it competes,” Messi said in Spanish. “And we competed until the end.”Argentina appeared to be in control after Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute with his 20th career FIFA World Cup goal. Timing his run perfectly, the captain latched onto Lisandro Martinez’s high pass before firing into the roof of the net to give La Albiceleste the lead.However, Cabo Verde refused to back down. Sidny Lopes Cabral restored parity in regulation time before Lisandro Martinez put Argentina back in front early in extra time. The underdogs struck again through Deroy Duarte to make it 2-2, raising hopes of a famous turnaround.The decisive moment came in the 111th minute when Cristiano Romero’s header from Diney Borges deflected into the net for an own goal, thus sealing Argentina’s place in the round of 16, where they will face Egypt.Despite the defeat, Cabo Verde earned widespread admiration for one of the best underdog performances in recent World Cup history. Goalkeeper Vozinha made 10 saves, including five from Messi, as the tournament debutants once again showed the resilience that saw them through an impressive group stage campaign.Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni also praised the African side after the final whistle.I have to give credit to our opponents, said Scaloni. “It is true that when people say that there is no easy opponent, today (Cabo Verde) proved that they are a great team.”Messi’s goal also strengthened his bid for the Golden Boot. The Argentina captain now has seven goals in the tournament, one more than France’s Kylian Mbappé, extending his all-time record at the FIFA World Cup. The strike also marked his 12th goal during his record scoring streak of eight consecutive World Cup games.
