Messi reaches 20 World Cup goals as Argentina edge a defiant Cape Verde in extra time
Cape Verde twice fought back in Miami before a Diney Borges own goal in the 111th minute sent the holders through 3-2. Lionel Messi’s opener made him the World Cup’s all-time top scorer with 20 goals.
Jul 4, 2026
Argentina are through to the World Cup last 16, but the holders were made to sweat for every inch of it. Cape Verde, appearing at their first World Cup, twice hauled themselves level in Miami before a Diney Borges own goal in the 111th minute finally settled a five-goal round-of-32 tie and sent Lionel Messi and the champions through 3-2.
Messi opens the scoring, and the record books
Messi got Argentina going in the 29th minute, applying the finish to a move that Lisandro Martinez had started. It was his 20th career World Cup goal, a tally no man or woman has ever reached, and his seventh of this tournament alone. At 39, he also stretched his run of consecutive World Cup matches with a goal to eight, the longest streak in the competition’s history.
For a while it looked routine. Then Cape Verde reminded everyone why they have been one of the stories of the summer. Deroy Duarte levelled in the 59th minute, slamming the ball past Emiliano Martinez to quieten a heavily pro-Argentina crowd and leave the tie locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes.
Cape Verde refuse to go quietly
Argentina looked to have regained control when Lisandro Martinez, forward from defence, put them back in front just two minutes into extra time. Cape Verde had other ideas. Sidny Lopes Cabral struck a stunning effort from the edge of the box in the 103rd minute to make it 2-2 and set nerves jangling on the Argentina bench.
The winner, when it came, had Messi’s fingerprints on it. He swung in a corner in the 111th minute and Romero’s header deflected in off Diney Borges. The assist earned Messi another entry in the record books as the oldest player to both score and assist in a single World Cup match.
Egypt await in the last 16
Argentina were some way short of their best, but knockout football rarely rewards style over survival, and they are still standing. Cape Verde, a nation of around half a million people, head home with their heads high after taking the world champions all the way. Argentina’s prize is a last-16 meeting with Egypt and Mohamed Salah, pairing Messi with another forward whose best years have refused to fade.