On their World Cup debut, Cape Verde pushed the reigning world champions all the way to extra time on Friday at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium before falling 3-2. The Blue Sharks leave the 2026 tournament as its breakout story, carried by a heroic Vozinha and a stunning strike from Sidny Lopes Cabral.
For a long stretch, Cape Verde made Argentina sweat. Tightly organised, the side coached by « Bubista » absorbed Lionel Messi’s opener (29′) — the Argentine’s record-breaking 20th World Cup goal — before Deroy Duarte levelled matters (59′). Extra time turned into pure drama: Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina’s lead from a Messi corner (92′), only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to curl a stunning equaliser into the top corner (103′). It took one final Messi corner, headed by Cristian Romero and deflected in by Diney Borges, for the reigning world champions to snatch the win (111′). Right up to Cabral’s wild free-kick in the 116th minute, tipped away by Emiliano Martínez, the Blue Sharks kept believing.
Unbeaten in the group stage on their World Cup debut — holding Spain (0-0) and Uruguay (2-2) — Cape Verde leave Miami as one of the defining stories of the 2026 tournament. Goalkeeper Vozinha, at 39, became the first African player past his 40th year to feature in a World Cup knockout tie, denying Messi time and again. Argentina march on, but Lionel Scaloni’s men were rattled and will need to raise their level against Egypt in the Round of 16 on Tuesday in Atlanta. Cape Verde, meanwhile, head home with their heads held high — and a place secured in African football history.