Messi Reflects on Argentina's Close Win Over Cape Verde
Argentina's Lionel Messi scored his 20th World Cup goal as the defending champions narrowly beat Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time during the 2026 World Cup round of 16, with Messi cautioning that every match at this level presents a formidable
Argentina captain Lionel Messi spoke candidly after his team's narrow 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde in the round of 16 match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, emphasizing that no match is easy at this level. The defending champions required extra time to overcome Cape Verde, who were making their World Cup debut. With this victory, Argentina remains on track to defend their title and will next face Egypt in the round of 32.
Following the match, Messi discussed the team's performance: "This is what makes the World Cup special. Every team competes fiercely, every game is difficult. We gave everything we had, but we didn't show our best football." He added, "We knew this would be a tough match. In the World Cup, nothing comes for free. Now it's time to rest, learn from today, and focus on the next game. I want to congratulate Cape Verde on their excellent performance."
Messi also reflected on the match's tactical challenges: "Scoring the first goal was the hardest part. We thought it would help us control the game and play more calmly, but it was the opposite. At times we lost possession, retreated too deep, and couldn't press them as we wanted. They used their strengths and managed to equalize."
In this match, Messi set several World Cup records: he became the first player in history to score 20 goals in World Cup history, the first player to score in 8 consecutive World Cup matches, and the first player to score against 14 different national teams in World Cup history.
