04/07/2026 12:28 - Deportes
On July 3, 2026, at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, the Argentine National Team fought a true battle against Cape Verde in the Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup. The team, managed by Lionel Scaloni, managed to win 3-2 in an agonizing match decided in extra time, thanks to an own goal by Diney Borges following a header from Cristian Romero. However, the victory left several players battered just three days before their next challenge.
Captain Lionel Messi made history once again by reaching 20 goals in World Cups, while Lisandro Martinez was the star of the match with a rating of 9, assisting Messi and scoring the second goal.
The physical toll was immense. Scaloni used up all his substitutions near the end of the 90 minutes, which complicated the scenario when players started feeling the fatigue:
In a press conference, the coach explained each player's situation with concern but also optimism about their recovery: "Enzo cramped up a little bit but then recovered. He ended up cramping again, but we had no more windows left." Regarding Medina, he praised his effort: "He finished very tired because we used him a lot in attack, which he is not used to. He was playing as a third center-back, not attacking much. He finished cramped up, but fine."
The coach did not hide his dissatisfaction with the tournament's organization regarding rest days between matches. Argentina will face Egypt on July 7, 2026 in Atlanta, leaving barely three days for recovery.
"Now to rest because we have few days. Before we had six days and now three, it should be the other way around. When you need rest the most, you have less. It is very difficult to understand, it should go from less to more."
#world-cup-2026
Alfredo S. Quiroga
