Cape Verde's World Cup dream ends after extra-time thriller against Argentina

Match drama

Cape Verde pushed Argentina to extra time before falling 3-2 in the round of 16 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Lionel Messi opened the scoring in the 29th minute, but Deroy Duarte equalised just before the hour mark. The match remained 1-1 after 90 minutes, sending the tie to extra time. Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina's lead in the 93rd minute, only for Sidny Lopes Cabral to level again with a long-range goal in the 103rd. Cristian Romero's 111th-minute header finally broke Cape Verde's resistance.

A debut to remember

Cape Verde, the smallest nation ever to reach a World Cup knockout stage, exited the tournament without losing a single match in regular time. The Blue Sharks drew all three group games, including a result against Spain, and became the first debutant since Slovakia in 2010 to advance past the group phase. Coach Bubista's side displayed tactical discipline and mental strength throughout, forcing the defending champions to dig deep.

Global acclaim

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, working as a pundit for FOX Sports, said he nearly cried watching the Cape Verde players' reaction at full time.

A small island with big dreams. They almost eliminated a giant, but these guys are heroes.

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni admitted it would have been crazy to lose and praised his opponents as a great team. Cape Verde's goalkeeper Vozinha earned widespread plaudits for his saves, while Sidny Cabral's long-range goal was hailed as one of the tournament's best.

What comes next

Argentina advances to face Egypt in the quarter-finals on 7 July. For Cape Verde, the focus already shifts to the 2030 World Cup, co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, where fans believe the team can build on this performance. Celebrations in Praia and across the islands continued long into the night, with supporters treating the defeat as a victory for national pride.