Argentina to face debutants Cape Verde in World Cup knockout round

Argentina, the reigning World Cup champions, are set to play Cape Verde in the round of 32 at the Miami Stadium on Friday. Cape Verde, appearing in their first World Cup finals, qualified by finishing second in their group after draws with Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. The island nation, ranked 64th by FIFA, will face a side that has won the Copa America a record 16 times and has been among the top three of the FIFA rankings since March 2022.

Cape Verde's football federation was founded in 1982 and became a FIFA member in 1986. The team reached the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in 2010 and again in 2023, relying heavily on players born abroad, particularly in the Netherlands, France and Portugal. Their squad value is estimated at €54.5 million, compared with Argentina's €807.5 million.

Argentina's roster includes several high-profile players, with most members competing in Europe’s top leagues. Two players remain in the domestic league, and two are based outside Argentina. Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul are among those playing in Major League Soccer for Inter Miami.

The match pits a footballing powerhouse against a small Atlantic archipelago of about 530,000 people, the third-smallest nation ever to qualify for a World Cup and the smallest to reach the knockout stage. The encounter will test Cape Verde's progress since its first World Cup appearance while offering Argentina another opportunity to advance toward a potential third title.