World Cup 2026: Lionel Messi’s Argentina gets easy opponents in round of 32

Legendary forward, Lionel Messi and his Argentine team, will face tournament newcomers Cape Verde in the Round of 32. Spain topped Group H.

The Blue Sharks secured second place in their group and challenge La Albiceleste in the next round of matches.

The match will take place in Miami, as Lionel Scaloni’s team continues their pursuit of a second consecutive title. 

Argentina reached this stage with their star player making history along the way.

Lionel Messi became the all-time leading scorer in men’s football history, netting two goals in a 2-0 win over Austria to propel the champions into the last 32.

This brace followed his hat-trick on the opening day against Algeria, placing him two goals ahead of Miroslav Klose and Kylian in the all-time scoring records.

Messi also became the third player, joining Just Fontaine and Jairzinho, to score in six consecutive matches when he put Argentina in front against Austria. 

Argentina finished at the top of Group J with a goal difference of plus five before their final match against Jordan.

Cape Verde has crafted one of the remarkable underdog narratives of the tournament. The debutants are the third smallest nation by population to reach this stage, yet they defied expectations to secure second place in Group H, finishing behind European champions Spain.

Notably, Cape Verde did not win any matches in the group stage, managing to earn three points through notable draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia.

Now, an exciting encounter with the reigning champions awaits them in the knockout phase.