Argentina’s first World Cup 2026 knockout match pits the reigning champions against Cape Verde in Miami on Friday.
Lionel Messi will be looking to continue his scintillating form, starting the contest as joint-top scorer at the finals alongside France’s Kylian Mbappe.
Cape Verde have already caused a surprise by holding Spain to a 0-0 draw in their first-ever World Cup match, proceeding to finish the group stage unbeaten on five points.
The winners of the tie will face Australia or Egypt, whose last-32 match kicks off four hours earlier, in the last 16 in Atlanta on Tuesday (17:00 BST).
𝗠𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹 2026: 𝗗𝗶𝗮 4️⃣4️⃣
— Federação Cabo-verdiana de Futebol (@fcfcomunica) July 2, 2026
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Table of Contents
World Cup 2026: Argentina confirmed team vs Cape Verde
Messi returns in one of nine Argentina changes from their 3-1 win over Jordan on matchday three, with goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and forward Lautaro Martinez the pair retained.
Argentina starting XI: Emiliano Martinez, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Facundo Medina, Nahuel Molina, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernandez, Lionel Messi, Thiago Almada, Lautaro Martinez
Argentina substitutes: Juan Musso, Geronimo Rulli, Marcos Senesi, Nicolas Tagliafico, Gonzalo Montiel, Nicolas Otamendi, Leandro Paredes, Valentin Barco, Giovani Lo Celso, Exequiel Palacios, Nico Gonzalez, Julian Alvarez, Giuliano Simeone, Nico Paz, Jose Manuel Lopez
World Cup 2026: Cape Verde full line up vs Argentina
Sidny Lopes Cabral, Steven Moreira, Jovane Cabral, Laros Duarte and Nuno Da Costa come in for Cape Verde, with Wagner Pina, Joao Paulo, Jamiro Monteiro, Willy Semedo and Dailon Livramento moving to the bench from their 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia.
Cape Verde starting XI: Vozinha, Diney Borges, Pico Lopes, Sidny Lopes Cabral, Steven Moreira, Kevin Pina, Jovane Cabral, Deroy Duarte, Laros Duarte, Nuno Da Costa, Ryan Mendes
Cape Verde substitutes: Marcio Rosa, Cj Dos Santos, Stopira, Logan Costa, Wagner Pina, Kelvin Pires, Joao Paulo, Jamiro Monteiro, Garry Rodrigues, Yannick Semedo, Willy Semedo, Telmo Arcanjo, Helio Varela, Gilson Benchimol, Dailon Livramento
Where to watch Argentina v Cape Verde: TV channel, live online streams
Kick-off on Friday is at 23:00 BST (18:00 ET / 15:00 PT). In the UK, live TV coverage is on ITV1.
Streaming is via ITV’s website and ITVX app, which is available on a vast variety of devices for viewing on the go.
World Cup 2026: Argentina v Cape Verde stats
- Lionel Messi has scored in each of his last seven World Cup appearances for Argentina, setting a new tournament record
- The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has 11 goals in total across that run (5 in the last 4 matches in Qatar 2022, 6 in three in 2026)
- Against Jordan on matchday three, Argentina became the second team to start two players aged at least 38 in a single World Cup edition, with Messi and Nicolas Otamendi following Brazil’s Thiago Silva and Dani Alves in 2022
- Nicolas Otamendi’s 17 World Cup appearances make the River Plate player Argentina’s most-capped defender in the competition history, ahead of Oscar Ruggeri (16)
- Since the start of Qatar 2022, Argentina have been awarded seven penalties in 10 World Cup matches
- Only Spain, Mexico and Brazil bettered Cape Verde’s record of two goals conceded during the group stage, with only La Roja and El Tri Spain keeping more clean sheets than the two they collected
- Cape Verde had 25.7% possession against Spain and were outshot 27 to six and 34.8% against Uruguay, with an attempts count of 12-17
- Against Saudi Arabia, however, they then had 51% of play, 15 attempts to their opponents’ seven and finished on an expected goals total of 1.39 xG to the Green Falcons’ 0.39
- They are the first debutants to go unbeaten in the group stage at the World Cup since Senegal in 2002
- Vozinha is the third goalkeeper in World Cup history to keep more than one clean sheet after turning 40, following Peter Shilton (three) and Dino Zoff (two)
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