Cape Verde Coach Hails Messi After World Cup Exit
Cape Verde coach Bubista praised Lionel Messi after his team's 3-2 loss to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup round of 32, calling the match 'the game of our lives.' Messi scored in the dramatic encounter.
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Argentina advanced to the next stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a 3-2 victory over Cape Verde after extra time, ending the African side's campaign in dramatic fashion. The match, played at Miami stadium, saw Lionel Messi score one of Argentina’s two extra-time goals, sealing a narrow win after Cape Verde had twice equalized.
Cape Verde coach Bubista described the match as 'the game of our lives,' acknowledging the historic challenge his team faced against the reigning world champions. 'We gave everything against a team led by a legend in Messi,' Bubista said, according to Vanguard News. 'To compete at this level against such quality is an achievement for our nation.'
Argentina had taken the lead through Messi, but Cape Verde responded twice—first through Deroy Duarte and later via Sidny Cabral, according to Daily Trust. Lisandro Martinez restored Argentina’s lead in regulation, but the match went to extra time, where a Diney Borges own goal proved decisive. Cape Verde’s performance earned widespread praise despite the loss.
'Even in defeat, the performance by Cape Verde, a tiny island nation off the western coast of Africa, will stand as one of the most remarkable stories,' Complete Sports reported. Argentina moves on to the round of 16, while Cape Verde exits with credit after a spirited campaign.