Lionel Messi and his Argentina teammates breathed a sigh of relief after an intense World Cup match in Miami Gardens, Florida. Argentina faced a fierce challenge from Cape Verde, ultimately emerging victorious with a 3-2 win, securing their place in the Round of 16.

Although Cape Verde managed to equalize in regulation and extra time, they were unable to respond to Argentina’s third goal. An own-goal, credited after Cristian Romero’s header deflected off Cape Verde’s Diney Borges in the 111th minute, secured Argentina’s advancement. Messi further solidified his World Cup legacy with his 20th career World Cup goal, while Lisandro Martinez scored in the 92nd minute to initially put Argentina ahead 2-1.

In spite of their loss, Cape Verde’s performance will be remembered as one of the most remarkable stories of the World Cup. An island nation off Africa’s western coast, Cape Verde surprised many by reaching the knockout round. The team secured draws against formidable teams, including Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia. Their impressive journey captured the attention of the football world.

Argentina will next face Egypt in Atlanta. Egypt advanced after defeating Australia in a penalty shootout earlier the same day.

“As this team has demonstrated many times, we compete,” Messi affirmed. “And we competed to the end.”

Cape Verdean coach Bubista expressed pride in his team’s accomplishments. With only 525,000 people, Cape Verde became the smallest country to reach the World Cup knockout stage. Their goalkeeper, Vozinha, played a pivotal role, making 10 saves against Argentina, including five against Messi. The players and coach Bubista remained on the pitch after the match, reflecting on their historic run.

Cape Verde defender Pico Lopes commented on the team’s effort and resilience. “We showed great character today, a great quality to get back into the game twice. They’re the world champions for a reason,” he stated.

Despite the outcome, Cape Verde demonstrated skill, tenacity, and sportsmanship on the world stage. “We showed that we may be a small country,” Bubista noted, “but we can play against some of the best teams in the world.”