"Messi" speaks candidly about Cape Verde after Argentina's tough path to the 2026 World Cup round of 16.
On 4 July 2026, Lionel Messi, Argentina's star captain, gave an interview after Argentina narrowly defeated newcomer Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time during the 2026 World Cup round of 32.
Although Cape Verde is the smallest nation to reach the World Cup knockout stage, this West African island nation with fewer than 530,000 people—less than the population of Chanthaburi province in Thailand—remained unbeaten in 90-minute regulation time throughout the 2026 tournament.
Lionel Messi spoke about Cape Verde, ranked 64th globally, who fought desperately against Argentina, ranked second in the world with a population of 46 million, saying, "We knew it would be a very tough game. The fact that this team didn't lose to Spain or Uruguay is no accident."
"We accomplished the hardest part, which was scoring the opening goal. We thought after that we'd find our rhythm and play more relaxed, but the situation turned out completely opposite."
"We lost possession, dropped back to defend, and failed to pressure the opponents adequately, allowing them to exploit their strengths. We knew this would be tough because it's a knockout tournament, and no one gives us easy victories."
"We understand it won't be easy, and that defines this World Cup especially. Teams are very evenly matched, situations are complex, and every match will be extremely challenging."
"Today we gave our all as always, whether playing well or poorly, as we often say. But I think the important thing now is to rest, think about what's ahead, and try to find the positives from today's game."
"Beyond advancing, I see good things because we performed well in some moments. At the same time, we have to fix various mistakes, many of which appeared today."
In the 2026 World Cup round of 16, Argentina will face Egypt, led by former Liverpool star Mohamed Salah. The match will be broadcast live on Thairath TV Channel 32 and the Monomax app on Tuesday, 7 July at 23:00.
