Cape Verde came within minutes of scripting one of the greatest shocks in World Cup knockout history before heartbreak struck in extra time, as they fell 3–2 to Argentina in a dramatic Round of 32 clash in Miami on Friday.
The African debutants, ranked 67th in the world, refused to be intimidated by the tournament favourites and pushed the No.1 ranked side to the limit in a fearless performance that had Argentina wobbling deep into the night.
A moment of magic from Lionel Messi in the 29th minute had initially set Argentina on course, but Cape Verde responded with discipline and belief, eventually drawing level through Deroy Duarte after 59 minutes.
What followed was a rollercoaster of momentum swings. Argentina looked to have regained control when Lisandro Martínez struck in extra time, but Cape Verde refused to go away. Sidny Lopes Cabral produced a stunning equaliser in the 103rd minute, cutting inside and curling home a finish that sent their supporters into disbelief and forced a looming penalty shootout.
Just when Cape Verde believed history was within reach, cruel fortune intervened. In the 111th minute, pressure from a Messi set-piece forced defender Diney Borges into an own goal as he challenged Cristian Romero in the air, handing Argentina a decisive third goal.
Even then, Cape Verde pushed for one final twist, only to be denied by crucial late saves from Emiliano Martínez, who preserved Argentina’s escape from a monumental upset.
The result spares Argentina what would have been one of the biggest shocks in World Cup knockout football, but for Cape Verde it will be remembered as a night of pride, pain, and almost-glory after taking the world’s top-ranked side to the edge.
Elsewhere in the tournament’s scoring race, Messi’s strike keeps him firmly in contention for the Golden Boot ahead of rivals including Kylian Mbappé, while names like Erling Haaland and Harry Kane continue to chase the lead scorers.
For Cape Verde, however, the headlines will not be about statistics—but about how close they came to rewriting World Cup history.
