Argentina captain Lionel Messi sparked debate after his side’s dramatic 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32, according to a GiveMeSport report published on July 4, 2026.
Messi opened the scoring before Deroy Duarte equalized in the 59th minute. Lisandro Martínez restored Argentina’s lead in extra time, but Sidny Lopes Cabral leveled again. Argentina sealed victory when Diney Borges inadvertently headed Cristian Romero’s effort into his own net, ending Cape Verde’s historic World Cup campaign.
The controversy centered on Messi’s 73rd-minute quick free-kick, taken while Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha was organizing his defensive wall. Vozinha recovered to make the save, but the incident divided opinion online. Some fans accused Messi of attempting to gain an unfair advantage, while others noted the referee had already blown the whistle, making the free-kick legal.
After the match, Messi praised Cape Verde’s performance.
“It wasn’t a coincidence that this team didn’t lose to Spain or Uruguay,” he said. “Scoring the first goal was the hardest part… That’s what makes this World Cup so special. Everything is incredibly close, and every single game is extremely difficult.”
