04/07/2026 03:10 - Deportes
The team led by Lionel Scaloni, popularly known as La Scaloneta (the beloved nickname for the Argentine squad after their previous World Cup triumph), secured a thrilling and agonizing qualification on July 3, 2026, defeating 3-2 a brave Cape Verde side at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The match, valid for the Round of 16, saw the Argentine team on the brink of collapse at several points, but the heart of the world champions came to light. The great figure of the match was Lisandro Martinez, who, in addition to defending firmly, scored a crucial goal and provided a surgical 50-meter assist, being rated with a 9 by the media TyC Sports.
Another who shone brightly was Lionel Messi, the Argentine captain and global football icon, who also received a rating of 9. Messi not only controlled a long pass from midfield to finish with his signature left foot but also delivered a precise corner-kick pass for the winning goal. With this goal, Messi reached 20 goals in World Cups, officially cementing himself as the all-time top scorer in the competition's history. An unforgettable mark for world football!
Cape Verde, a small African island nation with only 500,000 inhabitants, became the great revelation of the group stage by qualifying undefeated with three draws (against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia). As detailed by Infobae, the surprising performance of Cape Verde and especially their goalkeeper Vozinha, generated a wave of memes and reactions on social media, showing that the smallest country to reach this stage in 96 years of history has come to leave its mark.
The match left several tactical readings for coach Lionel Scaloni, who was surprised by the rival and evaluated with a 6. Below are the individual ratings confirmed by TyC Sports:
| Player | Rating | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Lisandro Martinez | 9 | Man of the match, great goal and surgical assist. |
| Lionel Messi | 9 | Control and historic goal (20 in World Cups). |
| Cristian Romero | 7 | Solid in defense, champion performance. |
| Alexis Mac Allister | 6 | Fundamental tactical work. |
| Leandro Paredes | 6 | Came on and brought order to the midfield. |
| Nicolas Tagliafico | 6 | Defensive craft. |
| Emiliano Martinez | 5 | Crucial save at the end after a shaky start. |
| Facundo Medina | 5 | Good recoveries but imprecise in attack. |
| Enzo Fernandez | 5 | Excessive ball carrying. |
| Julian Alvarez | 5 | Mobility but faded away. |
| Nicolas Gonzalez | 5 | Lots of effort but imprecision in the danger zone. |
| Gonzalo Montiel | 5 | Little contribution, gave away a dangerous foul. |
| Nahuel Molina Lucero | 4 | Suffered from the rival's retreat on his side. |
| Rodrigo De Paul | 4 | Imprecise, failed to break lines. |
| Lautaro Martinez | 4 | Little involvement, was not a reference. |
| Thiago Almada | 4 | Erratic, struggled in one-on-ones. |
Despite the scare, Argentina advances to the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The next challenge will be on July 7, 2026 in the city of Atlanta, where they will face the winner of the match between Australia and Egypt. Scaloni's team received a wake-up call, but proved that with pure heart and Messi's magic, they always have an answer. Let's go Argentina! #mundial-2026
Alfredo S. Quiroga
