2026 World Cup Preview: Defending Champions Argentina Take on Debutants Cape Verde

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Argentina vs Cape Verde match will take place in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup at Miami Stadium in the United States, on Saturday, July 4, 2026, at 05.00 a.m. Indonesian time. The match will be broadcast live by TVRI. Argentina comes in as the defending champion and one of the strong contenders for the title, while Cape Verde is determined to continue their surprising journey as successful debutants who have made it to the knockout stage.

Argentina advances to the round of 32 with a perfect record. Led by Lionel Scaloni, the team swept all three group stage matches. Only three teams managed to earn full points: Argentina, Mexico, and France. This result further confirms the consistency of La Albiceleste, who have dominated international football in recent years.

Argentina's last defeat in the knockout stage of a tournament occurred in the 2019 Copa America semifinals when they lost 0-2 to Brazil. Since then, Scaloni has led his team to victory in the 2021 and 2023 Copa America, as well as lifting the trophy at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Despite being 39 years old, Lionel Messi's performance has not shown any decline. The Inter Miami striker has scored six goals in the 2026 World Cup, currently on par with Kylian Mbappe in the list of top goal scorers.

Argentina is now pursuing its 11th consecutive victory in the Copa America and World Cup. However, Cape Verde is more than just an addition to the knockout stage.

The island nation off the coast of West Africa is the only debutant team that has successfully made it to the round of 32. Three other new participants—Curacao, Jordan, and Uzbekistan—were eliminated in the group stage.

Cape Verde's success is built on solid defensive organization. The "Blue Sharks" team kept two clean sheets in three group stage matches, including holding Spain to a goalless draw in their World Cup opener. The outstanding performance of goalkeeper Vozinha has been one of the key factors behind this success.

Cape Verde also demonstrated a strong fighting spirit when they drew 2-2 against Uruguay. After taking a 1-0 lead, they fell behind 1-2 before eventually forcing a draw. They once again kept a clean sheet in their last group stage match by holding Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw.

Although Cape Verde is the team with the lowest goal productivity among the 32 participants in the knockout stage, its main strength lies in its disciplined defense. Coach Bubista is expected to rely once again on a tight defensive block to restrict Messi and his teammates' movement, as they did successfully against Spain.

Current Team Conditions

Argentina is expected to field its best squad again, despite having made rotations in the last group stage match against Jordan. As quoted from Sportsmole, Lionel Messi, who began the match on the bench, will likely return as a starter alongside midfielder Alexis Mac Allister. Rodrigo De Paul, who was also rested in the previous match, is expected to return to the midfield from the beginning.

Messi continues to be the mainstay of La Albiceleste throughout the 2026 World Cup. The team captain has scored six of Argentina's eight total goals in this tournament, accounting for 75 percent of their goals.

Nevertheless, coach Lionel Scaloni still hopes that other players will contribute in the knockout stage. Striker Lautaro Martinez, who has scored 38 goals for the Argentine national team, Julian Alvarez with 14 goals, and midfielder Enzo Fernandez should be able to increase the team's attacking force.

In defense, center-back Cristian Romero was briefly concerned about a knee injury while facing Austria. However, the Tottenham Hotspur player's condition has reportedly improved and he is expected to partner Lisandro Martinez in the heart of the defense, replacing Nicolas Otamendi.

In the Cape Verde camp, coach Bubista was briefly worried before the last group stage match when Telmo Arcanjo, Jamiro Monteiro, and Kevin Lenini had fitness issues. However, only Arcanjo remains sidelined due to a muscle injury, while Monteiro and Lenini have returned to play.

Upfront, Dailon Rocha Livramento is still seeking his first goal in the World Cup finals. The striker was one of Cape Verde's most valuable players during the qualifiers, scoring four of their 16 total goals.

Overall, Livramento has only scored six goals for the national team. This number is still far below Ryan Mendes, who has scored 22 goals, and Garry Rodrigues with 10 goals.

Interesting Facts

- The round of 32 match in the 2026 World Cup will mark the first meeting between Argentina and Cape Verde. The two teams have never faced each other in official matches or friendlies before.

- As reported by Sportskeeda, Cape Verde made history in their World Cup debut appearance. This island nation off the coast of West Africa has the smallest population of any country to ever reach the World Cup knockout stage.

- Argentina is one of the most successful nations in World Cup history. La Albiceleste has competed in 19 final tournaments, winning three titles in 1978, 1986, and 2022.

- The match against Cape Verde is also a special moment for coach Lionel Scaloni. This will be Scaloni's 100th game coaching Argentina.

Predicted Lineups

Argentina (4-4-2): Emiliano Martinez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Facundo Medina; Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Thiago Almada; Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez.

Coach: Lionel Scaloni

Cape Verde (4-1-4-1): Vozinha; Steven Moreira, Pico, Diney, Stopira Cabral; Kevin Lenini; Ryan Mendes, Deroy Duarte, Jamiro Monteiro, Jovane Cabral; Dailon Rocha Livramento.

Coach: Bubista

Prediction

For Argentina, this match marks the first step in defending their world championship title. Conversely, for Cape Verde, the duel against La Albiceleste is an opportunity to make history by eliminating one of the favorites.

Although Cape Verde made it difficult for their three group-stage opponents, Argentina has Lionel Messi, who sets them apart. He will be the key to securing a spot in the round of 16 for the team.

Read: Does Football Need FIFA and Its World Cup?

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