Argentina vs. Cape Verde Round of 32: LIVE REACTION | ESPN FC
Join the ESPN FC crew as they react to Argentina's dramatic Round of 32 battle against Cape Verde, winning 3–2 after extra time in Miami. One of the most shocking and tense fixtures of the 2026 World Cup, with the reigning champions pushed to the brink by the tournament’s ultimate underdog. ESPN espnfc ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/
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ESPN FC Live is presented by Cologuard Plus. This is the reaction in Argentina as they finally cross the line in one of the most extraordinary World Cup matches not only of this tournament but that we've seen in the history of the game. Argentina win by three goals to two in extra time against Cape Verde, but boy, that doesn't tell half the story. Welcome in to the ESPN FC studios. I'm Dan Thomas, joined by Craig Burley, Frank Leboeuf, [music] and Kieran Gibbs. Before we hear from the boys, let's take you through the statistics, exactly how this game played out. Remember, everyone thought this is just going to be easy for Argentina against Cape Verde in their first ever World Cup. They were surprised they were even in the round, but they'd made it through to the knockout stages, but three draws had guaranteed that. It'll be Argentina who would take the lead in the first half. Lionel Messi added [music] to his record-breaking stats, and at 1-0 you kind of thought, "Well, this is it. Argentina are going to steamroll them, and it's going to be easy for the rest of the tie." Cape Verde, however, didn't read the script. [music] In the second half, Duarte would make it 1-1 after a lovely bit of interplay from Cape Verde, and that would see us go into extra time. 1-1 after 90 minutes, and Martinez, 2 minutes later, would make it 2-1 to Argentina. And once again, you thought, "Okay, Cape Verde have battled. They've done brilliantly. They've exceeded expectations from everyone, but they will then lose in extra time." But then, Carl Brauer scored a goal that I think even just talking about it now gives you goosebumps, because you couldn't quite believe what you were seeing as Cape Verde got the equalizer. But in the end, it would be an own goal that would see Argentina get the victory, and they advance to the next round. Well, they'll face Egypt. >> Craig, we've sat and we've watched thousands of games together. I don't know if we've seen anything quite like that before. >> No, I think in defeat in defeat, probably the best performance of the tournament by some stretch. Bearing in mind where they came from first World Cup, how small a nation they are, how small a population they are, how up against the odds they were, against multiple what the world champions, but multiple world champions with Messi. >> Mhm. >> Everything was against them. It wasn't It was It was going to be a non-compete. It was going to be a rollover. And not only did they go toe-to-toe with one of one of the favorites for the World Cup. I think on today's performance, we could revisit that. Not only did they go toe-to-toe, they outplayed them at times. And And And And also, on top of as a minnow putting in one of the greatest ever performances against a an elite side at a World Cup, they scored, as you mentioned, one of the great World Cup goals that went from the the camera pan to to Scaloni, the Argentinian coach. He did not celebrate, cuz he realized the situation he was in. Uh that he was embarrassed that his team were in this scenario. That he was embarrassed by their performance. And let's just go back to Cape Verde. Only eight teams have won the World Cup. And in their first ever World Cup, they played three of them. >> Mhm. Yeah, that's true. >> Yeah. Played three of them. And in 90 >> And didn't lose to any of them in 90 minutes. >> minutes, lost to none of them, and could have won. >> Yeah. >> And the other game drew with Saudi Arabia. That's That's impressive. They haven't came here and played well against minnows minnows, although Uruguay are not a great side at the moment. They're way more experienced than these Cape Verde boys. They've played three teams that have won the World Cup and they have absolutely matched toe-to-toe against these teams and man-for-man. Absolutely brilliant. >> The results would say a lot about how poor Argentina was, but they they weren't. I'm sorry. They They played quite a good game. It's just they played a great opponent. It's not like while they were in the other non-game, they weren't there. They were They were They were in They weren't going for it. No, no, they were going for it, but the the goalkeeper made crazy save. I mean, when the Messi shot that free kick, he wasn't ready and he went to jump on the other side. I mean, everything was perfect. The tackle from the one defender one time. That was a spectacular how you know a high-level center back in the world. And everything was perfect from them. So, Argentina had to deal with a great team. That's what we have to say today. That's why we are enjoying it. >> No, they did lose to Saudi Arabia when they won the World Cup. So, they know what adversity is all about. >> Yeah. >> But they're going to have to come back from this. You know, it's not adversity cuz they won. They're going to come back from this scare, but what would slightly concern me is it's it's isn't it not I think aging Argentinian team is wrong, but it's a slightly older Argentinian team. And I think we saw glimpses of that as the game went on. As the second half went on. As the extra time went on. They looked tired. >> Yeah. >> And this is going to be a long old tournament and and and and getting played in hot stadiums, particularly the ones that don't have roofs on them. And a lot of these games are going to go to the extra time. And I think that may expose this slightly older Argentinian side, particularly one with Messi at 38. And he looked gassed at the end. Rodrigo De Paul, you know, not a few days guys. >> Enzo Fernandez got cramps. >> Yeah. I mean, so if you said to me at the end of the game, who was the fitter of the two sides? It was Cape Verde. >> There was a There was a stage in that second half that if you were just switching on, you wouldn't know which one the defending champions were. >> Not at all. And we we talk about the goalkeeper. The the goalkeeper was outstanding, but you know, even the wide players in the in the midfield and the way they kept their distances throughout the whole game. So so tight. But then when they won the ball, they were really effective with it. They they they they handled the ball under pressure because you know, Argentina, they don't like to not have the ball. So they're always going to try and first 5 seconds close the ball down and we saw four five Argentinians surrounding the player with the ball, but you know, they would they would wriggle out with the ball. They would they would find the front man. >> [music] >> There was runners. It was just a delightful performance. I was in shock, honestly. >> Argentina The world champions were hanging on against Cape Verde. >> And and that's not an accident. >> That's where we are. They were hanging on against Cape Verde for their life. Can you imagine back in Buenos Aires, back in Argentina, had they even with the success of four years ago, had they gone out to this small country of of of of, you know, guys who are just nomads in a football sense, that that would not have gone down well. >> I I saw I saw and when you when they showed the fans when they maybe on the last goal, they showed the fans getting up. They were on the chair and you see a lady doing >> Yeah, I thought it was just a collective sigh >> like oh my god, we got it. Finally. That's what it is. A relief. >> And and once again, you know, the little fella got them off to a flying start. >> Yeah. >> Yes, yeah. >> But even when even when he scored though, when Messi scored his first goal, you could see in his celebration, normally he's quite this World Cup so far he's really looked like he's just enjoyed it and you know, celebrating, happy, smiling. But when he scored that first goal, which was an an amazing goal, you could see the the the relief in him that they had gone one up. >> Yeah, because they were because they were extremely compact. >> Yeah. So he knew that this was a tricky game [music] from from from the beginning. >> Again, we are talking about players who played in in good clubs but not big clubs against champion of the world playing for Chelsea, whoever wherever he can be. And matching >> [laughter] >> That was That was just an example. That was just an example. But they were absolutely matching with the best of the best. >> I want to talk about Argentina a little bit later on as we focus on what's going to happen in the knockout stages as they go through. But obviously Vasinha caught the attention of the world after that first game against Spain. You got to go that's nice, all of his mom's come, you know, that was kind of the rhetoric. He's got millions of Instagram followers now. But he's followed that up continually with great performances. And then today, as you rightly say, that one-on-one with Messi, he makes the stop. >> He did everything right right and and and and was so sharp. And I say, this may be somewhere a chairman of a big club who wants to sign him, BUT HE'S 41. >> [laughter] >> BUT BUT THAT'S INSANE because I don't know if he's capable of of producing, you know, for a season long or maybe two other years what he just did for the World Cup. But that guy from the >> He's instantly a fan favorite. There's no Well, he's the goalkeeping version of James Rodríguez, isn't Makes him in four years again. What will he be doing in four years? He'll pop up and be brilliant again and suddenly go away. But it's an incredible story. A guy, you know, who's who's kind of scraped a living as a footballer throughout his years and then suddenly at 41 >> Well, that's what World Cups are all about. Think back a way back in the day, right? Was it '90, Roger Milla, Cameroon? >> Oh, yes. You know, nobody, you know, outside of Cameroon nobody >> Well, he was a big star in France. >> Was he? >> Roger Milla, he was playing for Montpellier. >> I'll take that back. >> [laughter] >> He was known as a great striker, but it's true, >> I'd never heard of him. >> No, because you you you listen to to what you see in Scotland or in England, that's it. >> No, but that's what but that's what platforms are. That's what a World Cup in this sport anyway. >> [clears throat] >> This is what a World Cup is. And I always say to I always say to players who talk about the Champions League and stuff like that, and that's great. Champions League is great, but that's club, that's money. That we know what that is. This is an opportunity for players who won't get those opportunities, who'll never play for big clubs. And those of it, they'll never they'll probably never do it. And this platform is an opportunity to go into people's homes and show what what you can do. And and maybe, you know, for some do something special at a World Cup that gets you that move. Maybe turns the head of something like, "Oh my god, I didn't know about that guy." >> you you associate that with World Cups for younger players, right? That are just entering their careers. But you don't really, you know, we had the the the center back from from Australia. We've had uh the young kid from Morocco who's who's performing really well lately. Um but you know, for a for a keeper that's 41 years old. >> back from Australia, he's he's apparently he's on the the the the short list for Barcelona. >> Yeah, Barcelona. Yeah, I think Aaron Mooy. Yeah. >> He's already like, you know, I think he's already making And by the way, we'll get to that at some point. He shouldn't have taken a penalty. >> As a movie star, Frank, it would great it'd make a great Hollywood story. >> So so who's the movie star you're talking about? >> I'm so I'm I'm so modest and [laughter] humble. >> No, no, but it's what it's what it is. It's It's why we love sports because of the suspense it could create. >> And the the people >> Yeah, it's a narrative. You can discover somebody. And I was thinking, remember 90s, maybe Kieran doesn't know because he doesn't know anybody from the past. >> [laughter] >> But uh >> Mario Kempes too. >> Yeah, yeah, Mario Kempes with that. Toto Schillaci becoming the top scorer of the 1990 World Cup where and I'm sorry, he was known in Italy, but never been very famous outside of Italy. And the guy has been absolutely a fantastic during throughout the World Cup That World Cup so yeah, it's it's why we love that sport. It's why we love football and that game because it brings some emotions that even in a movie you cannot find, I think. >> So what did we learn about Argentina today? >> Well, we certainly learned that I don't think it's as comfortable as it looked for them at the beginning of the tournament. I think as as Craig says they they they look like they have fatigue in them. If you can push them all the way. I think if they don't win the ball in the first 5 seconds then and you can get control they can be got at. They can be got at. And and they they performed excellently today Cape Verde. So you know, I think this is going to take more for them to get to get beaten. But definitely they've got vulnerabilities. >> I think to be fair and I don't know if you want you're going to think like me but >> Hopefully not. >> Any team would have played Cape Verde tonight would have struggled. Maybe not France because of France have you know playing differently right now that the other team but I don't see England not struggling against Cape Verde today or Norway or Portugal maybe not Spain because they they they they increasing their their game. But again, I I think it would have been very difficult for any any teams and Argentina >> So you'll give them a pass? >> Excuse me? >> You'll give them a pass? You're saying it wasn't Argentina played badly it was the >> No, I don't think I don't think Argentina played I think it was Craig and from Cape Verde. I think it was unexpected from everybody. Who would have said that we we would be talking about that game for 15 minutes now? It's because Cape Verde showed something. It's not because Argentina played >> you explain that? >> I think they might have been walking around the hotel thinking it was it was they were really looking at Egypt. Yeah, I think I might I could sense maybe that this game was a shock to them. >> Yeah, but saying that you mean that they didn't have a good game. Is when you you think that Argentina didn't have a good game? I think they didn't have a bad game. I think they did have some chances. They could have scored, but they played against >> Cape Verde. You see the graphic 16 effort minus 16 efforts at goal against the world champions. Tells it all. You were asking about where where are the problems potentially for Argentina going forward. Looking at them tonight, any side with a lot of pace, power, and physicality who can bring that to the table and add the same or more quality than Argentina, like France, I think they're going to struggle. I think they struggle with their legs. I think they struggle when the game opened up, and I think they really struggled with the pace of the Cape Verde side who who got that ball on the ground. They passed it. They passed it quick, and they got at that back four. They got in behind the midfield on numerous times with their pace and their direct play. And I think any team Argentina come up with I think if a team plays Argentina at a slow pace, and Messi can sort of walk around a little bit. He doesn't doesn't have to do a lot of defending, and they can get the shape, I think I think they've got half a chance, but I think any team that picks the tempo up and tries to go like a 90 90 minutes at them, they showed tonight that they're getting tired very very quickly. >> Egypt aren't necessarily that sort of team, though, are they? No, we saw against Australia. It was not a good game. >> No, I I I would I Well, we don't know what's going to happen, but I would hasten to add I think they'll have an easier night against Egypt than they did against Cape Verde. That's how it looks to me. >> But would you agree, Frank? >> Yeah, I would agree. Issue that we [clears throat] saw the game against Australia from an Egyptian since the beginning of the World Cup. I'm not convinced. So, they're going through, good for them, but I'm not convinced and and I'm pretty sure that Well, not pretty sure, but Argentina should go through against against Egypt, yeah. >> But obviously when they come up against stronger opposition, the conversation will change. >> Yeah, I mean, I spoke a few weeks ago and I mentioned about the the football how much football has evolved in in emerging markets, Africa. I think we've seen from from their performances this World Cup, Asian teams and these these smaller countries. I think football is just much more global now and over the last two decades we've seen uh the just the global talent pool increase. And so naturally these countries, they don't come here anymore uh with just a hope that they're going to you know try and achieve something. They actually come with a a tactical plan. Um they come physically in in in shape um and and technically they they are much better. They have many players that play in Europe now in the top leagues um and so now we we we're we're at we're entering an era now where global football has has changed and these these countries can compete. >> something that Kieran doesn't remember, um physically teams >> France won the World Cup in case >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sometimes ago, but you don't remember. >> It was the one in in New York. It happened with the World Cup. >> It's when the TV was in black and white. But uh now but I I think some teams came to national teams who came to for the World Cup and in our time physically after a while, you know, they were going down. Now even and we talk about clubs and uh and for example, championship in England for example they're physically ready. They're already physically ready. So they can fight against any team. They're not going to drop after an hour even against the biggest team in Europe. So it goes for the national team where they already prepared and as you said, on top of that, they have a tactic. They know technically how to work. So it's it's not going to be easy for anybody. It's it's a it's very interesting for that. >> What will Egypt have learned from today that they can bring to the table? >> Not well, nothing from the performance against Australia. >> Yeah. >> Who are who are extremely limited. Workman-like but limited. I mean, I can't tell you that they their ceiling is very low. It's a It's just a defensive, you know, defensive block, organized, some big center half set pieces, which was crazy because they had a set piece after 2 minutes and they tried to play it short. They got three They got three center backs at 6'5. >> Uh and Egypt have been unimpressive. Salah's been unimpressive, but that's a continuation of his season at Liverpool. Uh I suppose now you could sort of paint it as Messi against Salah, but one of them's not really playing that well and and you'd have to think that Argentina had almost had a bad night at the office tonight. They would have to have another really bad night, I think, to lose to to Egypt. >> Or they or or Egypt would have to have a very different match. The the same energy levels won't be there that we saw today. >> No, no, of course not. Of course not. That was absolutely different than that. Everything that little Egypt learned nothing about the Argentinian game. They learned about their own game and the fact that they couldn't beat efficiently an Aussie team. >> And you know why? I think the the mentality is from some of these nations is that I think Egypt will be fearful. I mean, they'll know there's a quarterfinal at stake, but they'll be fearful about what Argentina might do to them. And I think that's why they'll play >> And we didn't see that, obviously, today. >> And that's completely opposite from from uh from tonight's performance from Cape Verde is they they had no fear. And I suppose that they had less to lose on the than than what Egypt may have because the expectation