Lionel Messi’s sensational World Cup will continue as his Argentina faces Cabo Verde, before Colombia battles Ghana.
Follow all the action in our live blog.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 7:53am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 7:53am
Argentina vs Cabo Verde liveSat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:44am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:44am
81′ What a clearance from Cabo Verde
Almost an own goal, but it’s an incredible block by Pico Lopes.
The cross comes in and Lopes sticks a leg out and puts it behind.
It just went the right side of the post and out for a corner.
A stunning piece of defending denied Argentina a tap-in.
Cabo Verde hanging on a little here.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:42am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:42am
79′ Is this game going to extra time?
Argentina are pressing but not creating a lot.
Cabo Verde about 10 minutes away from taking the game into extra time.
I don’t think anyone predicted that.
Fair to say it would be one of the World Cup’s biggest ever shocks if Argentina lose this.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:35am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:35am
72′ Messi denied by keeper again
Messi curls a free-kick towards the top corner and Vozinha scampers to his left to claw it away.
That leads us into the hydration break.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:33am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:33am
71′ World Cup shock
No one expected this.
The World Cup holders being held by Cabo Verde.
The goal seems to have woken up Argentina who has started attacking more.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:24am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:24am
62′ Messi denied by brilliant save
You’d put your house on Messi there.
He’s clear on goal, looks odds on to make it 2-1.
But he’s denied by a fantastic save from 40-year-old Vozinha.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:20am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:20am
59′ CABO VERDE EQUALISES!
(Getty Images)
Argentina are stunned.
It had been coming.
The ball comes into the box and Deroy Duarte drills it into the bottom corner.
The shoot went through Lisandro Martinez’s legs.
The Cabo Verde adventure continues.
The holders are rocked.
Some Cabo Verde fans are in tears.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:17am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:17am
54′ Argentina keeper makes save
Cabo Verde’s first shot on target.
Emiliano Martinez gets down to keep out Laros Duarte’s shot from distance.
Decent chance for Cabo Verde.
They’ve been the best team in the second half so far.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:11am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:11am
50′ Early pressure from Cabo Verde
A few attacks for Cabo Verde early on.
Just unable to create a chance.
They get a corner, but the ball is cleared.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:06am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:06am
Second half kicks off in MiamiSat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:00am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 9:00am
Messi doing Messi things
Seven goals in this World Cup.
How do you stop the 39-year-old?
He spends most of the game walking around but is always in the right place at the right time to score.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:50am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:50am
HT: Messi goal the difference as Argentina leads Cabo Verde
Half-time in Miami.
Lionel Messi’s goal the difference.
Argentina has been on top but still only one goal in it.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:46am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:46am
Four minutes of stoppage timeSat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:44am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:44am
42′ Cabo Verde attacks breaking down
Cabo Verde has got into some decent positions but the final ball has been a letdown.
A cross comes in from the right, but there is nobody to get on the end of it.
Just lacking a bit of quality and composure in attack.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:38am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:38am
Messi goal ‘genius at work’
Cabo Verde had been doing well in the early stages of the match.
Not much they could have done about that goal.
Scotland legend Ally McCoist tells ITV in the UK that it was “genius at work”.
He’s not wrong.
It’s the eighth successive World Cup match that Messi has scored in.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:29am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:29am
29′ Messi scores a brilliant goal!
(Getty Images)
It had to be him!
What a brilliant goal.
Lisandro Martinez with an unbelievable ball into the box.
Messi controls it dead then lifts it into the net.
What a fantastic goal.
Messi’s seventh goal of this World Cup, one clear of Kylian Mbappe in the golden boot race.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:26am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:26am
25′ First hydration break in MiamiSat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:21am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:21am
18′ Messi bends free-kick straight at keeper
Messi is lucky to get a free-kick just outside of the area.
There’s only one man who was ever going to take it.
Messi steps up but bends it straight into the hands of Vozinha.
Easy save for the Cabo Verde keeper.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:16am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:16am
15′ Messi’s first chance
Lionel Messi has had a quiet start but he had half a chance there.
He got free in the box but dragged his left-foot shot wide.
An early sighter for the 39-year-old.
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:08am
Sat 4 Jul 2026 at 8:08am
7′ Even start to the game
Cabo Verde don’t look overawed at all.
Lionel Messi is yet to get in the game.
Cabo Verde are defending well and have made a few darts forward.
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