Messi and Argentina face Cape Verde in World Cup knockout clash

Lionel Messi and Argentina faced Cape Verde in a Round of 32 knockout match at Miami Stadium on Friday, with FIFA listing an 18:00 local kickoff and identifying the game as Match 86 in the 2026 World Cup bracket. The meeting came as the tournament's new 48-team, 104-match format sent three games into the Round of 32's final day: Argentina-Cape Verde, Colombia-Ghana and Australia-Egypt.

Argentina arrived with a perfect group stage and a sharp run through the tournament. CBS News said the world champions had been unbeaten in their last nine World Cup games, with seven wins and two draws, and had gone 14-2-3 in their last 19 group matches. That stretch included a 3-0 opening win over Algeria, where Messi scored a hat trick and tied Miroslav Klose for the men's World Cup career goals record.

Cape Verde's place in the knockout round gave the bracket a different kind of tension. In a field built to widen access and add more knockout drama, the presence of a smaller national side opposite Argentina turned the match into a test of whether favorites could keep the tournament order intact or become the next upset. The expanded format has already changed the way the knockout stage looks, and this pairing put the most recognizable name in the sport against a side carrying the hopes of a program trying to make its own mark.

Miami added another layer to the game. The city is home to Messi's MLS club, Inter Miami, which made the matchup a local draw as well as a global one. Chris Branch, a senior writer for The Athletic, joined CBS News to discuss the stakes as Argentina tried to extend its run and Cape Verde tried to turn a first appearance on this stage into something larger.