Argentina enters the knockout stage with momentum, but Cape Verde has already shown it can make life uncomfortable for established powers. The defending champion meets the tournament revelation in the round of 16 on Friday in Miami.
Lionel Messi has powered Argentina through the group stage and now leads the World Cup scoring chart with 19 goals, the most in the competition’s history. His six goals in the opening round helped Argentina beat Algeria 3-0, Austria 2-0 and Jordan 3-1.
Cape Verde’s rise has been one of the tournament’s surprises
In its first World Cup appearance, Cape Verde became the smallest nation ever to advance from the group stage. It did that by taking unexpected draws against European champion Spain, two-time world champion Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
| Team | Group Stage Path | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina | Beat Algeria, Austria and Jordan | Messi scored 6 goals in the round |
| Cape Verde | Drew with Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia | Smallest nation to reach the knockout stage |
Lionel Scaloni will coach his 100th match in charge of Argentina, and he made nine changes from the alternate lineup used against Jordan. Facundo Medina is in at left back for Nicolás Tagliafico, while Lautaro Martínez keeps the starting role in attack over Julián Álvarez.
Vozinha, the 40-year-old goalkeeper who has become one of the tournament’s sensations, anchors Cape Verde’s lineup. Argentina, champion in 1978, 1986 and 2022, is also chasing the first back-to-back World Cup title run in its history.
The winner will face Egypt in the round of 16 on July 7 in Atlanta. Argentina’s unbeaten run in knockout matches has continued since its loss to Brazil in the 2019 Copa América semifinal.