Argentina

ARLINGTON, Texas — In a World Cup boasting a galaxy of stars, a lunch-bucket team of blue-collar everymen may wind up outshining them all.

Spain punched its ticket to the final Tuesday by smothering France 2-0 at AT&T Stadium, running its unbeaten streak to 37 games while eliminating a team that had run roughshod through the tournament.

And it wasn’t even close. France came into the game with 16 goals, second only to Argentina in the tournament, then failed to put a shot on goal in the first 81 minutes

It had Kylian Mbappé, who is tied with Lionel Messi for the scoring lead this summer and was the Golden Boot winner four years ago in Qatar. He was all but invisible until, frustrated, he felled Spanish keeper Unai Simón with a cheap shot in the final minutes, drawing a well-deserved yellow card.

France couldn’t even score into an open net, with Desire Doue lining a low shot right at a rapidly retreating Simón, who had come well off his line and left the goal unattended. For Simón, Tuesday’s clean sheet was his sixth in seven games in this tournament.

Spain will meet the winner of Wednesday’s second semifinal between England and reigning champion Argentina on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.\

France’s Kylian Mbappé reacts after losing to Spain during a World Cup semifinal in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.

(Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

“Whoever comes, comes,” teenage center back Pau Cubarsí said in Spanish. “I don’t think I want any of them. Let it be God’s will. We’re going to New York and then we’ll figure out who needs to come.”

Winning with defense may not be attractive, but it’s certainly been effective. And for Spain, the approach certainly fits with its team-first mentality.

“There was some talk that our defense and goalkeeping weren’t up to par. But I think we’ve silenced a lot of critics,” Cubarsí said. “We’ve only conceded one goal and we’re in the final.

“This is a team effort, both those who play and those on the bench.”

Added right back Pedro Porro: “We’re just continuing to work with humility. We’ve been doing things right and building on our strengths. We’ve also been correcting the things we haven’t done well. We’re just taking it step by step.”

It wasn’t so much that France played poorly, although they did. It was that Spain forced them to play that way.

France had never trailed in the tournament, but it fell behind in this one on Mikel Oyarzabal’s successful penalty shot in the 22nd minute. Lucas Digne was called for the foul when he chested down an errant pass from Spain’s Marc Cucurella on the edge of the 18-yard box, then reached out his left boot to control it, only to catch the leg of Spain’s Lamine Yamal who was charging in from the blind side.

Salvadoran referee Iván Barton immediately pointed to the spot and Oyarzabal stepped up and obliged, beating French keeper Mike Maignan into the side netting at the right post for his fifth goal of the tournament. The score was the first Maignan had allowed in the knockout rounds, snapping a 360-minute scoreless streak and it would be all Spain would need to get to the final for the first time since 2010, when it won its only World Cup.

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon makes a save in front of France’s Theo Hernandez during a World Cup semifinal in Arlington, Texas, on Tuesday.

(Jessica Tobias / Associated Press)

Maignan didn’t do any better on the second shot he faced, this one coming 13 minutes into the second half when Porro came in alone on the keeper, then used his right foot to flick the ball by the goalkeeper to double Spain’s lead.

“My son couldn’t come today because he’s feeling a little under the weather with a fever,” said Porro, who dedicated his goal to the boy. “It was a mix of emotions because he couldn’t be here, and then his dad scored a goal.

“I wanted to look out at the stands and the only people there were my partner, my father-in-law and my physical therapist.”

For Porro, the goal was a measure of redemption as well. There were doubters when coach Luis de la Fuente named him to the World Cup team and those critics grew louder when De la Fuente made him a starter.

But those critics fell notably silent Tuesday.

“I don’t have to prove anything to anyone,” Porro said. “Obviously, I never imagined — not even in my wildest dreams — that I’d be playing in this World Cup the way I am.

Spain’s Pedro Porro celebrates after beating France during a World Cup semifinal Tuesday in Arlington, Texas.

(Florencia Tan Jun / Getty Images)

“But it’s also thanks to my teammates, and thanks to the coach for the confidence he’s shown in me from the very beginning.”

Spain hasn’t lost a game in the knockout phase of a World Cup since 2006 — when it fell to France — playing to draws in the round of 16 in the last two tournaments before being eliminated both times on penalties. They didn’t let it come down to that this time.

“We’re in a final. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Cubarsí, 19. “Maybe I’m still too young for everything I’m going through right now. But soccer is something to be enjoyed. Opportunities will come your way if you’re willing to make sacrifices and all that.”

For French coach Didier Deschamps, meanwhile, the loss marked his penultimate game with a team he’s taken to two World Cup finals in 15 years as coach. He had earlier announced he would be stepping aside after the tournament. Instead of capping raucous Bastille Day celebrations in France with a trip to the World Cup final, Deshamps and his squad will travel to Miami to play in the third-place game.

Some players knelt at the final whistle, head down, staring at the turf.

“There’s obviously a lot of disappointment,” Deschamps said. “The players are devastated because we had high hopes. Even so, we have to be realistic and acknowledge that today we were a step behind technically against a team that played very well.

“It’s our fault, first and foremost.”

Well, not really. The credit should go to Spain.

EXPLAINER

Al Jazeera put nine leading AI models to the test to predict the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup champion.

As the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup enters its final stages, AJLabs asked nine leading AI models to predict the tournament’s final podium based on all available data for each team, including:

• Team strength
• Squad quality
• Coaching
• Historical performance
• Team’s performance during the current tournament

France emerged as the favourite to lift the trophy, receiving five (Gemini, Grock, DeepSeek, Le Chat and Qwen) of the nine champion votes.

Argentina, the defending world champions, received the remaining four votes (ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Meta AI).

Predictions for the runner-up were more divided: France and Argentina each received three votes, followed by England with two and Spain with one.

Spain was the clear favourite to finish third, receiving six of the nine third-place predictions, while England and France each received fewer votes.

The predictions reflect a broad AI consensus around the four remaining contenders, France, Argentina, Spain and England, but also highlight differences in how leading language models weigh recent performances, squad depth and tournament momentum.

The AI predictions come as the tournament reaches the semifinals. France will face Spain on July 14 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, while England will meet Argentina on July 15 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

The third-place playoff will be played on July 18, before the World Cup final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Champion predictions

• France: 5 models
• Argentina: 4 models

Runner-up predictions

• France: 3 models
• Argentina: 3 models
• England: 2 models
• Spain: 1 model

Third-place predictions

• Spain: 6 models
• England: 2 models
• France: 1 model

I’d definitely rather be playing Argentina than the Swiss and I reckon Thomas Tuchel and the England players will be absolutely delighted too – they will think they can get at Argentina.

In wide areas, Argentina looked vulnerable. Nahuel Molina, who started at right-back, was given a torrid time by Dan Ndoye, who ended up scoring.

Molina got hooked in the end but, whether it is him or Gonzalo Montiel who starts against England, they will have their hands full with Anthony Gordon.

Similarly, whether it is Noni Madueke or Bukayo Saka on the right, I think they will have the better of Argentina left-back Nicolas Tagliafico in one-on-one duels too.

And, in the centre of their defence, Lisandro Martinez has made mistake after mistake in this tournament. He has got another rick in him, I’m sure of that.

The way Argentina set-up, they overload the middle of the pitch and play really narrow, then try to get Messi on the ball and hope he can produce something.

I know it is easy to say ‘you stop Messi, you stop Argentina’ but watching them, that was literally the case. Apart from Messi they are hoping Julian Alvarez bends one in from 25 yards rather than playing through teams.

Alvarez is usually in midfield but he played slightly differently against Switzerland, and was the one trying to stretch their backline. If he wasn’t doing it, no-one else was.

Messi certainly isn’t going to be making those runs and he was really quiet for long periods against the Swiss, but once they were down to 10 men he was probing and looking more of a threat.

If Declan Rice is fit, then it will be his job to deal with him. The Swiss realised you could not give Messi an inch and Granit Xhaka was brilliant at that.

Messi will still be dangerous but he is 39 now and, as long as Tuchel has a plan to stop him drifting into space, I think England will have enough quality everywhere else to win.

Look, it will be a brilliant tie because of all the history between the two countries at World Cups, with the Diego Maradona handball and the David Beckham red card.

The previous meetings have been pretty feisty, and I am expecting more of the same here.

I would not be surprised to see some antics from the Argentina players because they love that side of it. They will be happy if it turns into that kind of game, where things get a bit wild and England players might lose their heads.

But, if they can keep their cool, I am expecting England to win comfortably – and my other prediction is for Argentina to finish the game with nine men.

Messi has never played against England, and maybe he will make his mark, but England have got their own superstar now in Jude Bellingham.

His first goal against Norway was sensational, with his power, poise and the finish. He is absolutely flying at the moment and if it comes down to one player deciding this game, it is likely to be him.

Sutton’s prediction: 3-1

AI’s prediction: 1-2

The football teams of forty-eight countries set out with a chance of winning the World Cup on June 11, and the hopes of just four nations remain alive.

The top four teams in the FIFA rankings, with eight previous titles between them, will lock horns on Tuesday and Wednesday to try to secure a place in what is set to be the grandest of showpiece occasions in sport: the World Cup Final at New York New Jersey Stadium on Sunday, July 19.

Al Jazeera ranks the contenders for the title:

4. Argentina

What’s this? The defending champions as the outsiders?

Well, Algeria, Austria, Jordan, Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland must be one of the kindest ever paths to the business end of a World Cup, and La Albiceleste have not exactly been convincing along it.

They were made to sweat by Cape Verde and Egypt in the knockout stages before finding a way to prevail in dramatic circumstances, and the pattern was repeated against Switzerland in Kansas City on Saturday night, when they went almost 90 minutes without a shot on target following Alexis Mac Allister’s early opening goal.

Their ageing side eventually prevailed after 120 minutes in sweltering conditions. Had Switzerland kept 11 men on the field, things might have been very different, but, once again, in the end, the defending champions found a way to win when they were well below their best.

Surely they cannot get away with another performance like that against England? Well, England fans might well be saying the same about the Three Lions. Both Harry Kane and Lionel Messi fell well short of their best in the last-eight matchups too.

The outpouring of emotion from Messi at full-time in the comeback win over Egypt showed just how close the three-time winners came to being eliminated. In an already emotionally charged matchup with England, expect tempers to rise and tears to flow on either side come full-time.

If Argentina, and – in his first-ever appearance against the Three Lions – Messi, are able to rediscover their swagger and win, ousting their old foes from the tournament in the knockout stages for a third straight time, then the confidence and momentum they would take into the final would be huge.

However, nothing they have shown in the US this summer would suggest that is likely to happen.

And even if it did, whether it would be enough to give them the edge against European champions Spain, or a vengeful France side they vanquished on penalties in the epic final of Qatar 2022, is another matter entirely.

3. England

Have we seen the best of England in this tournament? Probably not. And yet, here they are, in the semifinals for just the fourth time ever.

The win over Norway was neither pretty nor convincing, and manager Thomas Tuchel admitted they were lucky to get through, thanks largely to Jude Bellingham putting the team on his shoulders at a couple of key moments once again. Could a midfielder really win the Golden Boot? He is only two behind Messi and Kylian Mbappe with six goals already.

Much to Tuchel’s frustration, bar a 20-minute purple patch in the second half of the 4-2 opening game win against Croatia, England have yet to dominate a team, and relied on counterattacking bursts to give them a 3-2 lead to defend in the epic round-of-16 victory over Mexico in the cauldron of the Azteca.

What they have shown is character, in abundance, and they will likely need plenty more of that if they are to end 60 years of longing for a second World Cup title.

The game against Argentina will be far more than 11 vs 11; the ghosts of football history will line up alongside both teams, and the hype and pressure are sure to be enormous.

A few possible positives for England will be that they have already made par for this tournament: Ranked fourth in the world, they have reached the last four. Anything else would be a bonus. Nobody really considers them a top-two team in the world, which might help to alleviate some of the burden of expectation.

After a trip to the altitude of Mexico City, and the oppressive heat and humidity of Miami, a return to the 22-Celsius (71.6F) climate-controlled confines of Atlanta, where England overcame DR Congo in the round of 32, will be welcome.

They also have no new suspensions to deal with, with Jarell Quansah left with one game of his two-match ban to serve; and there were minutes for Reece James against Norway. England will meanwhile be hoping Declan Rice recovers fully after a 45-minute cameo in which he was patently not fit following illness.

An ageing Argentina side have struggled against the pace, movement and trickery of Cape Verde, Egypt and Switzerland in the past three rounds, and Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, and even Marcus Rashford will be even better placed to exploit that.

Beyond Messi, Argentina have not posed too many attacking questions themselves, though Julian Alvarez’s stunning strike against Switzerland might just be the start of his own World Cup.

All things considered, expect England to make it through to the final, but France would likely be a step too far, and even Spain would be a big ask, despite the additional motivation of revenge for their Euro 2024 final defeat.

2. Spain

They are the third semifinalists yet to find top gear at this tournament, bar a one-sided display against Austria in the round of 32.

La Roja’s stoic defence might have been punctured for the first time this summer by Belgium in the last eight, but the 649 minutes that preceded that goal were the longest streak in World Cup history without conceding, and they have still allowed just seven shots on target in their six matches so far.

Though the goal contribution stats might not reflect it, Lamine Yamal has shown flashes of a return to top form after that season-ending hamstring injury in April, while La Roja’s carousel of tricky attackers has posed problems for defences in all six matches so far, and Mikel Merino has written himself into folklore with last-gasp winners against Portugal and Belgium.

Four-goal leading scorer Mikel Oyarzabal has gone off the boil in the past couple of games, however, and is unlikely to strike too much fear into the French backline.

While teenage defender Pau Cubarsi looks at home on the biggest stage of all, he is yet to face the kind of test that Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele will pose.

If they make the final, Spain will be favourites to win it, and they have won the World Cup the only time they previously reached the last four, but despite having beaten France in their past two encounters, a third should be beyond them.

1. France

Before their last-eight matchup with Morocco, we asserted that France were the class of the field with a fearsome foursome in attack and a defence that, although it had not really been tested yet, had only allowed two goals in five matches.

Well, make that two in six, even if they still have not really been tested, such was the Atlas Lions’ toothless attack on the night in their 2-0 defeat.

Mbappe further enhanced his credentials for the Golden Boot and all-time World Cup scoring record with another quality goal against Morocco, and Olise, Dembele, Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola continue to threaten across the field in a way no other team on earth can.

Spain, and in particular their defence, will pose a different challenge, and the underworked French defence will likely get their own test this time, too, with the likes of Dani Olmo, Alex Baena, Ferran Torres and Fabian Ruiz getting into promising positions around Oyarzabal, and that’s not to mention super-sub Merino.

Whoever beats France will surely lift the World Cup, but none of the remaining teams can match the dynamism of Les Bleus’ forwards. Although Spain will likely be their hardest challenge, it is one you can expect Didier Deschamps’s men to overcome, not least fuelled by the additional motivation of having lost to La Roja in the Euro 2024 and Nations League semifinals over the past two years.

The two finalists from Qatar 2022 could well be on course for a rerun as the FIFA World Cup 2026 draws to a close.

Lionel Messi led Argentina to glory four years ago against a France side that were defending the title they won at Russia 2018.

Argentina and France overcame Croatia and Morocco, respectively, in the semifinals, both surpassing expectations to reach that stage.

This time, however, both teams will face sides considered serious contenders for the title.

Al Jazeera takes a look at whether we are witnessing the best last-four lineup in World Cup history, and with it, potentially, the beautiful game’s greatest finale.

The class of 2026 – France, Spain, England, Argentina

The lineup for the 2026 semifinals marks the first time since FIFA rankings began – in 1992 – that the current top four sides in the world have made it to this stage.

France currently hold the number one spot, and are led by one of the most feared strikers in the world, Kylian Mbappe, while also boasting the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembele.

Argentina are ranked second and led by a player in Lionel Messi who, after having helped his side become only the third to defend a World Cup, may well be acknowledged as the greatest of all time.

Spain are ranked third and boast La Liga starlet Lamine Yamal of Barcelona. The Spanish have reached the semis with a miserly defence, but the stage may now be set for Yamal to fully shake off the memory of the calf injury that forced him to miss the end of the domestic season and shine much as he did in helping the Spanish to the Euro 2024 title.

England are the lowest-ranked of the remaining teams but considered the second favourites to lift the title behind France. This is mainly based on the incredible talents of not only Harry Kane, but also Jude Bellingham, who some suggest may be regarded as the greatest player to emerge from England, should he continue to drag the side all the way.

There is also a feeling, though, that England’s wide players may now be allowed to come to the fore with the game set to open up against more attack-minded opponents.

Russia 2018 – France, Croatia, Belgium and England

France lifted their second World Cup when they beat final debutants Croatia to seal the crown. Croatia were the heavy underdogs, and they themselves beat an England side seen as surprise semifinalists.

Belgium enjoyed a long run as the number one side in the world through the period, although their star-studded squad failed to fulfil their potential at major tournaments.

Brazil 2014 – Germany, Argentina, Brazil and Netherlands

The Germans claimed their fourth title in South America after stunning the tournament hosts, Brazil, with a 7-1 demolition in their last-four clash.

Lionel Messi was named player of the tournament, but could do little to inspire insipid matches against the Netherlands and Germany. Both matches went to extra time: Argentina sealed a 1-0 win in the semifinal before losing on penalties after a 0-0 draw against the Germans in the final.

Germany’s Manuel Neuer was named the goalkeeper of the tournament, which perhaps said it all about the German efficiency that year, which saw the semifinal mauling regarded as more of a blip than the result of free-flowing football. Much of the headline-grabbing scoreline was down to Brazil’s underwhelming squad.

Germany 2006 – Italy, France, Netherlands and Portugal

The final was marred by Zinedine Zidane’s head-butt that resulted in the red card that would end his playing career, but overall, it was two sides in decline following golden generations, and ended with Italy claiming their fourth title after penalties.

A young Ronaldo was to be spotted for the first time at the global showpiece, but better days were to come for Portugal, while Germany were heavily reliant on Bastian Schweinsteiger and Miroslav Klose in an otherwise average side.

Italy 1990 – West Germany, Argentina, Italy and England

The football was bleak, but the names were legendary. Regarded as one of the poorest World Cups of modern times, the football was conservative, and the day-and-age of lumping anyone with any skill still reigned over the game.

Germany were led and marshalled by Lothar Matthaus, while Jurgen Klinsmann and Rudi Voller were the dead-eye duo in attack that seemed to find a way to the end of every cross and through ball. The pair were enough to see off one of England’s finest generations – with Paul Gascoigne and Gary Lineker the standouts – in the semifinals, and Diego Maradona and the defending champions Argentina in the final.

Italy’s Salvatore Schillaci etched his name into World Cup folklore as an iconic player when he stole the show from some of the bigger and more glamorous players to seal the Golden Boot with six goals.

The football was brutal throughout, and the most romantic part of the tournament was the wonder of the Italian cities and their history, as well as the tournament’s theme tune: Nessun Dorma, sung by Luciano Pavarotti. If only the football had hit the same notes.

Mexico 1986 – Argentina, West Germany, France and Belgium

Argentina and, in particular, Diego Maradona lit up the finals. Mainly due to Maradona’s brilliant second goal in his side’s 3-2 win against England in the quarterfinals, which also saw him net the infamous “Hand of God” goal as the diminutive forward challenged English keeper Peter Shilton for a ball in the air.

It was otherwise mostly blood and thunder at the tournament, and neither West Germany, France, nor Belgium particularly illuminated, but it was a worthy mention for Maradona’s emergence. His five goals were only pipped for the Golden Boot by Lineker’s six strikes.

West Germany 1974 – West Germany, Netherlands, Brazil and Poland

The world was introduced to “Total Football” at the 1974 edition, with Johan Cruyff setting the tone for the sharp passing and movement of the Dutch. It was not enough to topple the hosts, however, who claimed their second crown.

Brazil, meanwhile, were beginning their decline, which would last nearly 20 years, following the retirement of Pele at the previous edition.

Mexico 1970 – Brazil, Italy, West Germany and Uruguay

The world got its first glimpse at a new way of playing football: the Brazilian way. Pele debuted at the 1958 edition and was the solitary target of the boot boys – the players that spent the whole match kicking opponents as high as they could – until the 1970 edition, when he was joined by the first great international side of superstars.

England had the timeless talent of Bobby Charlton when they won it in 1966, but it was overwhelmingly a tournament of bullies. Indeed, Pele was given the full treatment by England in the quarterfinals, where the Brazilians’ attempt at a third straight title ended.

In 1970, however, it was nearly impossible to get near the pace and play of the Brazilians, as well as the power.

They were well ahead of their time and remain one of the greatest to grace the game. They were also furlongs ahead of any opposition.

The verdict: Is the class of 2026 the best semifinal lineup in World Cup history?

It is very hard to see past the array of talent on display across all four of the sides; so much so that Messi and the defending champions are now seen as the outsiders in this stage.

The answer will truly lie in the football, and the teams that have had to endure not only the rise of the professional and tactical standard across the globe, but also the emergence of so many new nations that will hope to hold their own for years to come.

DR Congo and Cape Verde delighted, and have given the world a taste of things to come, especially with a 64-team tournament mooted for the 2030 edition.

For now, however, all eyes are on four nations, who could produce the global game’s most beautiful moment.

Three wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: Argentina vs Switzerland
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Quarterfinal
Where: Kansas City Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, the United States
When: Saturday at 8pm (01:00 GMT on Sunday)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 22:00 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

After two gruelling knockout contests, defined by controversies more than goals, Argentina enter the business end of the World Cup.

The reigning champions outclassed most title contenders in the group stage, thanks to the unstoppable striking force of Lionel Messi.

But their unconvincing, stuttering run in the knockout phase – where they were pitted against far inferior opponents – has raised a question: Can Argentina really retain their title?

Up next for the two-time world champions is Switzerland, who have quietly made a remarkable return to the quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years.

The impressive duo of Breel Embolo and Johan Manzambi has won Swiss hearts, and Saturday’s clash offers them a chance to seek revenge for a World Cup defeat by Argentina in 2014.

How did Argentina and Switzerland reach the quarterfinals?

Argentina had a strong showing in the first round, topping Group J by beating Austria, Jordan and Algeria. In the round of 32, they were pushed to their limits by Cape Verde before squeezing past 3-2 in extra time, and came from two goals down to beat Egypt 3-2 in a controversial last-16 contest which drew allegations of officiating bias.

Switzerland topped Group B with an unbeaten record, winning against Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and drawing with Qatar. They beat Algeria 2-0 in the round of 32 and beat Colombia 4-3 on penalties to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years.

‘Argentina are not invincible’: Swiss coach

What started out as a confident campaign has slowly turned into a shaky title defence for Argentina.

Tournament debutants Cape Verde – the smallest nation to play in the World Cup knockouts – gave Argentina a wake-up call, forcing the reigning champions to dig deep for victory.

The Argentinian suffering continued in the next game, where they trailed 2-0 against Egypt before turning it around in stoppage time – in a contest where the opposition accused the referee of favouring the title holders.

These performances have pushed Argentina down to fourth in the pecking order of the favourites, while they’ve also slipped from the top spot to number two in the FIFA rankings.

It has instilled the belief in the Swiss camp that beating Argentina is not out of reach.

“We’re up against the defending champions, which is a unique opportunity. ‌At the same time, we’ve realised that Argentina are not invincible,” Switzerland coach Murat Yakin said.

“It should be an interesting match from a tactical point of view.”

Can ageing Messi keep up with the demands of the World Cup?

At 39, when most players’ careers are long behind them, Messi is proving that age is just a number.

In his sixth and possibly last World Cup, Messi has maintained a perfect record, scoring in each of Argentina’s five matches so far. His eight goals keep him second in the Golden Boot race, only behind France’s Kylian Mbappe, who has also scored eight goals but has played a game more, on account of assists.

Although no longer at his athletic peak, Messi is still very much carrying the burden of the goal-scoring duties for his national team – and rescued them from early elimination in the round of 16 with a goal and assist.

In a rare show of emotion, he even broke down after that game, saying he was desperate for his World Cup journey to continue.

But after his own admission of fatigue after playing 120 minutes against Cape Verde and pushing hard against a resilient Egypt, Messi’s ageing body is fighting to keep up with the gruelling demands of tournament football.

As the stakes get higher and the margins for error reduce, it begs the question: Will age finally catch up with him?

Argentina vs Switzerland predictions

The Opta supercomputer gives Argentina a 57.1 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Switzerland’s chances of winning are 18.7 percent.

The model estimated a 24.2 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Argentina vs Switzerland: TV schedule, kickoff

• Argentina: TyC Sports, TyC Sports Play (10pm, Argentina Time)
• Switzerland: SRF, RSI, RTS (3am on Sunday, Central European Summer Time)
• United Kingdom: ITV1, ITVX, STV (2am on Sunday, British Summer Time)
• US: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (9pm, Eastern Daylight Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the semifinals?

The winner of the Argentina vs Switzerland match will face either Norway or England in the semifinals in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Argentina vs Switzerland: Head-to-head

The two countries have met seven times, with Argentina winning five of those matches, while two ended in a draw.

Argentina have also won both of their World Cup games against Switzerland: 2-0 in a group game in 1966 and 1-0 in the round of 16 in 2014, which was also the last meeting between the sides in any competition.

Only ⁠three players remain from the 2014 meeting: Messi, Swiss captain Granit Xhaka, and defender Ricardo Rodriguez.

Argentina vs Switzerland: Team news

While no injuries are reported in the Argentina camp, Switzerland’s Manzambi and Jaquez are out with knee and muscle injuries, respectively, while Aebischer is doubtful.

Manzambi, Switzerland’s 20-year-old breakout star, also missed the last game.

Argentina’s predicted lineup

(4-1-3-2): Martinez (goalkeeper); Molina, Romero, Lisandro, Tagliafico; Paredes; De Paul, Enzo, Mac Allister; Messi, Lautaro

Switzerland’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Kobel (goalkeeper); Zakaria, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Vargas, Rieder, Ndoye; Embolo

Beard will complete a long season after the final two Wales matches against Argentina and South Africa in Durban next weekend.

The former Ospreys lock had only just linked up with the Wales squad a couple of days before the Fiji game, following a mammoth first season with French club Montpellier, which included a Challenge Cup success and losing the Top 14 final to Toulouse.

“I have personally loved it and it was probably the best decision I’ve made rugby wise so far for myself and my family,” said Beard.

“It was a tough decision at first, leaving the Ospreys after being there since I was 14.

“But it was probably something, if I didn’t join Montpellier, I might have regretted at the end of my career.”

While playing in France is a tough challenge, it is also a rewarding one said Beard.

“It’s a physical league and you’ve got to play 30 games a season,” he added.

“But just the support and passion, everything they do out in the Top 14 is a different level to what I’ve experienced before.

“So it’s been an amazing move for myself and my family.”

Egypt head coach Hossam Hassan has called for players and reporters at the World Cup to speak out about the killing of children in Gaza and Palestine. Hassan made the comments after his team’s controversial 3-2 defeat to Argentina in the last 16.

An Argentina fan waves the Israeli flag during his team’s Round of 16 match against Egypt. Some viewed it as a provocation towards Egypt’s coach, Hossam Hassan, who dedicated Egypt’s first-ever World Cup knockout victory to the people of Gaza.

The clamour surrounding the World Cup’s controversy involving US President Donald Trump and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino had barely died down when another arose in the aftermath of Argentina’s controversial 3-2 win over Egypt in the round-of-16 match in Atlanta.

As the defending champions staged a stunning comeback against the Pharaohs in the knockout match on Tuesday, questions were raised about an unusually late VAR call that saw Egypt’s second goal rescinded, followed by a chain of events that led to Argentina’s victory.

A day earlier, Trump had revealed that he had asked FIFA to review, and overturn, USA striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension for a red card, and the governing body controversially obliged. The matter was dusted off by Belgium as they dumped the hosts out of the tournament with a 4-1 win in the match Balogun was initially suspended from but ended up playing – to no avail.

Trump watch on the World Cup

While the anger surrounding FIFA’s red-card decision was directed at both the football governing body and Trump, Egypt’s outburst was solely aimed at the organisation, which, according to Egypt’s manager, had “wanted to keep the world champions in the competition”.

Head coach Hossam Hassan speculated that match officials had been put under pressure to ensure that one of the biggest names, Argentina’s Lionel Messi, stayed in the tournament.

“Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,” Hassan told beIN Sports after the match.

“In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champions received support at every level.”

While the tournament has been no stranger to the political spotlight of questionable integrity, experts say the lines between sport and politics have been blurred even further.

“After the Balogun affair, who knows which decisions are legitimate and can be trusted, and which can’t?” Simon Chadwick, professor of Afro-Eurasian sport at the Emlyon Business School in Shanghai, told Al Jazeera.

“If the Trump administration is maintaining a watching brief over the tournament, it’s worth remembering: Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, is a staunch Trump supporter.”

Trump and his Argentinian counterpart share a close relationship. Milei is a regular feature at pro-Trump political gatherings in the United States, and Trump has described Argentina’s far-right populist leader as his “favourite president”.

Chadwick also opined that Hassan’s vociferous support for Palestine at the World Cup could have prompted some officials to “have built-in biases when making decisions”.

Hassan dedicated part of his pre-match news conference on Monday to making an impassioned plea for the people of Palestine, especially those in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Advantage, Argentina

Circling back to the VAR call that sliced Egypt’s lead in half and was followed by decisions that conveniently favoured Argentina, Chadwick said the period of play was “unusual”.

He wondered why the referee had not called a foul in real-time that VAR picked up several moments later and only once Egypt scored their second goal.

“There was something distinctly unusual about the goal and VAR decision, something that was amplified when Argentina scored one of its goals,” Chadwick said, questioning refereeing standards in the match.

“In the build-up, an infringement was perpetrated by an Argentina player, which could have been interpreted as a similar offence to that supposedly committed earlier by the Egyptian player. At the very least, refereeing standards during the game were somewhat inconsistent, although critics are clearly making much more serious claims.”

But while many social media commentators and football experts were outraged at the decisions – Portuguese football icon Jose Mourinho reportedly termed the match “daylight robbery” – some football experts said it was a closer call.

“Robbed might be a strong word,” football analyst Ali El Garni said.

“I’d say decisions made by both the referee and VAR could have gone either way, and Argentina benefitted from all the 50/50 incidents.

“The incident leading to the Egyptian disallowed goal was an indisputable foul. The question is how far VAR should go back to check the legitimacy of a goal,” said El Garni, who has extensively reported on European and North African football.

However, he did wonder if VAR would have been involved had the scoreline been 2-0 in Argentina’s favour instead.

“Would the goal have been disallowed had it been scored by Argentina? It’s unlikely,” he said.

“What’s making it worse for Egypt is the fact that a similar incident involving what appeared to be a foul on [Mohamed] Salah took place before Argentina’s third goal, and VAR didn’t intervene,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chadwick questioned why VAR officials had raised the issue if the on-field officials did not call a foul when Egypt‘s Marwan Attia lightly tugged the shirt and stepped on the foot of Lisandro Martinez.

A logical solution to the VAR issue, Chadwick proposed, would be “for fans and viewers to listen to an assessment of the alleged offence, hear the various arguments, and have a clear insight into the basis for a decision”.

Chadwick admitted that although Egyptian players should not have become overwhelmed with emotion, “a sense of injustice was induced by the VAR decision”.

“This technology was supposed to minimise doubt and bring consistency. Instead, its use during this match had significant cognitive and behavioural effects,” he said.

“Indeed, rather than brandishing cards and inflaming the situation even further, the referee should have used his discretion and judgement to defuse the situation.”

While Chadwick dismissed rumours of match-rigging in favour of Messi and Argentina, he acknowledged the pull of the iconic footballer’s star power.

“There is no doubt that Messi is a box office attraction the tournament really can’t afford to be without.”

‘Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition,’ Hassan said after his team was knocked out.

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan claims his side was “cheated” out of a place in the World Cup quarterfinals after Argentina staged a stunning late comeback from 2-0 down to win 3-2 in a gripping last-16 match in Atlanta.

The Pharaohs started as underdogs but took the lead against the world champions within 15 minutes, which was doubled in the second half before Argentina walked away with the win on Tuesday.

“I do not want to put it nicely and talk about hard luck. We have been cheated unfairly today; we have suffered injustice,” Hassan said in an explosive post-match news conference.

Egypt had a Mostafa Zico goal ruled out when they were leading 1-0 as the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) intervened to spot a foul on Lisandro Martinez much earlier in the move.

Zico did then put Egypt on the brink of a place in the last eight for the first time by doubling their lead.

However, the defending champions hit back as Cristian Romero reduced the arrears before Lionel Messi, who had a first-half penalty saved, smashed in the equaliser with his eighth goal of the tournament.

The controversy did not end there, though, as in the buildup to Argentina’s winner scored by Enzo Fernandez, Egypt believe they should have instead been awarded a penalty for a pull by Alexis Mac Allister on Hamdy Fathy.

“We haven’t seen respect or fair play. There has not been respect or fair play,” Hassan said.

“A penalty was ruled out, was not even checked by VAR. A second goal was remarkably disallowed. There has not even been a VAR check when we have all seen the image of the [shirt] being pulled back.”

Hassan said he would not watch any more matches of the tournament, such was the injustice he felt.

“I am not going to continue following the matches of this World Cup,” he added.

“This is my own way of speaking up.”

‘They wanted Messi to stay’

After Yasser Ibrahim’s header put Egypt in front, Argentina were awarded a penalty for a trip on Nicolas Tagliafico.

Messi’s problems with World Cup penalties continued as his effort was saved by Mostafa Shobeir.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has now failed to score four of his eight non-shootout spot-kicks at the World Cup, including two misses at this tournament.

Hassan speculated that the officials had been put under pressure to keep one of the biggest names in the competition.

“Perhaps they wanted to keep the world champions in the competition. Perhaps they wanted Messi to stay in the running,” he told BeIN Sports.

“In football, there are sometimes external factors that go beyond the technical aspects. The world champions received support at every level.”

Egypt had been surprisingly attacking early on in the game, a departure from Hassan’s usual tactic of playing with a tight defence and looking for counterattack opportunities.

It helped them take an early lead, but it was the heroics of goalkeeper Mostafa Shobeir that ensured they remained in front by half-time.

“I’m very, very satisfied with the effort they put in. Most of our players come from the Egyptian domestic league, while many players in other national teams are based in Europe and live in that professional environment,” Hassan added.

“Yet with predominantly local players – besides Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush – we were able to compete with anyone.”

Hassan also complained about the scheduling of the match for a noon kick-off (16:00 GMT), just four days after both sides had won their round of 32 matches.

“Whoever schedules those matches has never played football. You never schedule a game for 12pm. At noon you go for a walk or to eat brunch; you do not go to play football.

“When are the players supposed to eat? At 7:30am?

“There have been a lot of things to be questioned on and off the pitch.”

Would Messi have been lost to the World Cup forever had Argentina lost?

He would be 43 – the oldest outfield player to play at a World Cup – if he carried on to the next, though the lure of games being played in his home country may have sustained him.

Instead, Messi can look forward to a quarter-final here against either Switzerland or Colombia.

Former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson, watching in Atlanta for BBC Radio 5 Live, said: “That was incredible. Spectacular. Argentina were down and out. They were out of the tournament at one point.

“Egypt are so frustrated with the refereeing decisions that have gone against them. They had a second goal disallowed before they got their second goal for an infringement that was almost on their own touchline.

“Then Lionel Messi just stepped in and took over. Beautiful assist, great finish for his goal, and then the substitutions worked for Argentina.”

Argentina’s recovery, and this was not simply the Messi show it should be said, also had implications for England who, when Egypt led, might just have believed it was a ‘now or never’ moment for reaching their first men’s World Cup final since 1966.

England’s path to the final was shaping up as Norway in the quarter-finals, then Egypt, Switzerland or Colombia in the last four if they got through.

Instead, there remains the shadow of Messi and Argentina as the potential obstacle should they overcome the dangerous Norwegians.

And Messi, even in advancing years, casts a giant shadow over any opponents, as Egypt found to their cost.

Messi became the first player in World Cup history to score in six consecutive knockout-phase games and now has eight goals in this one. It is the most by a player in the opening five games since West Germany’s Gerd Muller scored 10 in Mexico in 1970.

He has also contributed to 16 goals in his past nine World Cup games, with 13 goals and three assists.

England’s concern will be he still has the power to add more. And looks in the mood to do so.

Argentina 9-5 Wales, Buenos Aires, 14 September 1968

Argentina 9-9, Wales, Buenos Aires, 28 September 1968

Wales 16-7 Argentina, Cardiff, 9 October, 1991

Wales 43-30 Argentina, Llanelli, 21 November, 1998

Argentina 26-36 Wales, Buenos Aires, 5 June, 1999

Argentina 16-23 Wales, Buenos Aires, 12 June, 1999

Wales 23-18 Argentina, Cardiff, 1 October, 1999

Wales 16-30 Argentina, Cardiff, 10 Nov, 2001

Argentina 50-44 Wales, Tucuman, 12 June, 2004

Argentina 20-35 Wales, Buenos Aires, 19 June, 2004

Argentina 27-25 Wales, Puerto Madryn, 11 June, 2006

Argentina 45-27 Wales, Buenos Aires, 17 June, 2006

Wales 27-20 Argentina, Cardiff, 18 August, 2007

Wales 33-16 Argentina, Cardiff, 21 November, 2009

Wales 28-13 Argentina, Cardiff, 20 August, 2011

Wales 12-26 Argentina, Cardiff, 10 November 2012

Wales 40-6 Argentina, Cardiff, 16 November 2013

Wales 24-20 Argentina, Cardiff, 12 November 2016

Argentina 10-23 Wales, San Juan, 9 June 2018

Argentina 12-30 Wales, Santa Fe, 16 June 2018

Wales 20-20 Argentina, Cardiff, 10 July 2021

Wales 11-33 Argentina, Cardiff, 17 July 2021

Wales 20-13 Argentina, Cardiff, 12 November 2022

Argentina 29-17 Wales, Marseille, 14 October 2023

Wales 28-52 Argentina, Cardiff, 9 November 2025.

Four wins to go. How can your team reach the final and win the World Cup 2026? Click here to find out.

Who: Argentina vs Egypt
What: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Round of 16
Where: Atlanta Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia, the United States
When: Tuesday, July 7, at 12pm (16:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 12:30 GMT before our live text commentary stream.

Get ready for a spicy battle of the number 10s – a dazzling duel between Lionel Messi and Mohamed Salah, two of the greatest forwards in world football, as Argentina face Egypt in the World Cup round of 16.

Argentina have been the clear favourites in every game they’ve played at the tournament, but after being made to work for victory in the last tie, the presumption that the reigning champions are unbeatable has been broken.

Egypt, on the other hand, are on a historic run of their own, gearing up to chase a first-ever quarterfinal berth. One of only two African sides remaining at the tournament, they carry the hopes of the continent and have gone toe-to-toe with the world’s best.

Al Jazeera tells you everything about Argentina vs Egypt:

How did Argentina and Egypt reach the round of 16?

Argentina topped Group J with a perfect record of nine points, winning against Austria, Algeria and Jordan. In the round of 32, they were pushed to extra time by a resilient Cape Verde team before edging past the tournament debutants 3-2 in a thrilling contest.

Egypt came second in Group G with five points, drawing with Belgium and Iran and winning against New Zealand. They defeated Australia 4-2 on penalties in the round of 32 after the game was tied 1-1 following extra time. It marked the first-ever World Cup knockout for Egypt, who made their tournament debut in 1934.

More World Cup history beckons for Messi

This tournament’s Golden Boot race is one for the ages.

Argentina legend Messi, France’s Kylian Mbappe and Norway’s Erling Haaland are all tied at seven goals, with Mbappe leading the list, his two assists breaking the tie.

If Messi – who has scored in each of Argentina’s four games so far – finds the net against Egypt, not only will he become the Golden Boot leader, but he will also join Guillermo Stabile (1930) as the only Argentina player to score eight goals in a single World Cup.

But ahead of Tuesday’s last-16 tie, there have been concerns about fatigue, and it’s not just limited to Messi.

Argentina were forced to play extra time by Cape Verde in the heat in Miami in the US on Friday, while Egypt-Australia went all the way to penalties on the same day. Those gruelling knockout games left both teams with little time for rest and recovery.

Messi admitted after the last match that he was tired, and he lamented Argentina’s inability to press their opponents high up the pitch.

Meanwhile, Egypt relied heavily on their defensive organisation and looked to Salah and Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush to launch counterattacks against ⁠Australia, an approach they could employ again against Argentina.

For Egypt, a fully fit Salah could be crucial after the attacking winger entered the Australia match with a hamstring concern and at times appeared reluctant to sprint at full speed during a draining 120-minute ‌contest.

If Egypt stun Argentina, they will become the fifth African nation to reach the World Cup quarterfinals after Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002), Ghana (2010) and Morocco (2022 and 2026).

Argentina vs Egypt prediction

The Opta supercomputer gives Argentina a 69.1 percent likelihood of winning in regulation time, while Egypt’s chances of winning are 12.3 percent.

The model estimates a 18.5 percent probability of the game going to extra time.

Argentina vs Egypt: Kickoff, TV schedule

• Argentina: TyC Sports, TyC Sports Play (1pm, Argentina Standard Time)
• Egypt: beIN Sports (7pm, Egypt Standard Time)
• US: FOX, FOX One, Telemundo App, Telemundo Network, Peacock (noon, Eastern Daylight Time)
• United Kingdom: BBC One, BBC iPlayer (5pm, British Summer Time)

To check the TV listings for your country, head to FIFA’s TV listing schedule here.

Who will the winner face in the quarterfinals?

The winner of the Argentina vs Egypt match will play either Switzerland or Colombia in the quarterfinals in Kansas City in the US on Saturday, July 11.

Argentina vs Egypt: Head-to-head

This will be the first World Cup match between Argentina and Egypt.

Their last meeting was a friendly in Cairo in 2008, which Argentina won 2-0.

Argentina are on an eight-game winning run against African nations at the World Cup, with two of those coming in this edition (3-0 vs Algeria, 3-2 vs Cape Verde). No side in the competition’s history has won three games against African opponents in a single edition before.

Argentina vs Egypt: Team news

Argentina’s Gonzalez (ankle injury) and Medina (physical discomfort) are doubtful, while Egypt’s Fatouh (muscle) and El Fotouh (hamstring) are out injured.

Argentina’s predicted lineup

(4-4-2): E Martinez (goalkeeper); Molina, Romero, L Martinez, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernandez, Almada; Messi, Lautaro

Egypt’s predicted lineup

(4-2-3-1): Shobeir (goalkeeper); Hany, Ibrahim, Rabia, Hafez; Fathy, Ateya; Ashour, Salah, Marmoush; Zico

Lionel Messi opens scoring but Argentina taken to extra time by Cape Verde, which threatened greatest World Cup upset.

Reigning champions Argentina needed an ⁠extra-time own goal to overcome ⁠a Cape Verde side with incredible levels of resilience 3-2 in a thrilling contest and secure their spot in the last 16 of the World Cup.

The Africans, playing in their first World Cup, had twice come from a goal down on Friday ⁠to silence the vast majority of the crowd of 64,478 packed into a hot and humid Miami Stadium.

Six minutes into the second period of extra time, Lionel Messi swung a corner into the box, and Cristian Romero rose to head home off the arm of Cape Verde centre-back Diney Borges ⁠and finally set up a date with Egypt in Atlanta next Tuesday.

Messi had, almost inevitably, given Argentina the lead in the 29th minute with his seventh goal of the tournament, but Deroy Duarte equalised just before the hour mark.

The Blue Sharks held on to send the match into an additional half hour before Lisandro Martinez lashed a sumptuous shot into the roof of the net in the second minute of the first period of extra time to put Argentina ahead again.

Cape ‌Verde were not done yet, however, and left back Sidny Lopes Cabral curled a beautiful shot into the top corner of the net in the 103rd minute of the contest to put the scores back on level terms at 2-2.

Lopes Cabral could have equalised again after Romero’s goal, but his finely struck free kick was saved by Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who had to be at his best to deny Cape Verde in the dying minutes.

Cape Verde were beaten but far from outclassed by the three-times world champions as they put in a fourth magnificent display of teamwork and grit at their first World Cup.

The only one of the four World Cup debutants to make it to the last 32 and ⁠ranked 67th in the world coming into the tournament, Cape Verde had hoped to frustrate Argentina as they did ⁠Spain, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia in group-stage draws.

They succeeded, while showing no shortage of quality of their own, for much of the game with a never-say-die desperation and a neat pass-and-move game.

Messi aside, Argentina were largely bereft of ideas against an obdurate defence and Cape Verde libero Kevin Pina was the most impressive player on the park for long periods ⁠of the contest.

It was Argentina who made the breakthrough in the 29th minute, however, when Lisandro Martinez lofted a long ball over the top of the defence to the feet of Messi.

The 39-year-old maestro took a touch with the ⁠outside of his left boot and buried it in the roof of Vozinha’s net for ⁠his 20th goal over six editions of football’s global showpiece.

Cape Verde knew they would need to score to keep their World Cup campaign alive and Duarte fired a shot at goal soon after half-time that drew a diving save out of Martinez.

Just before the hour mark, captain Ryan Mendes was freed down the right, and his pass into the box found the Dutch-born midfielder, ‌who controlled the ball with his left foot before drilling it past Martinez with his right.

Messi had a chance to put Argentina back in front four minutes later when he was played through on goal, but Vozinha stood up well to keep his shot out of the net.

One of Messi’s trademark ‌free ‌kicks was tipped away by Vozinha in the 72nd minute, and Cape Verde defender Pico Lopes had to intervene to prevent Enzo Fernandez from scoring 10 minutes later.

Cape Verde held on to force the dramatic period of extra time, and they will now return home heroes having put their tiny island-nation firmly on the footballing map.

Cape Verde may have been the World Cup’s smallest nation, but they have certainly made a big impact.

Forget Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Erling Haaland and Harry Kane – it is the tournament debutants who have become the centre of attention.

There were the heroics of goalkeeper Vozinha as they earned their first World Cup point against Spain. There were the thrills as they scored their first World Cup goals against Uruguay. There was Sidny Lopes Cabral’s wonder goal as they almost causing the competition’s biggest shock against Argentina. Cape Verde’s World Cup journey had it all.

When the whistle blew to bring extra time to an end in Miami, the Blue Sharks players slumped to the turf after a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat by reigning champions Argentina but they can leave the United States knowing they have won many hearts.

“Cape Verde have lost, but they’ve won,” said former Scotland international James McFadden on BBC Radio 5 Live.

“They have shown courage, togetherness, unity and unwavering belief in what they are and what they can do.

“The story of this tournament is Cape Verde. That is what you want to see in a football side.”

They came into the tournament ranked 67th in the world, but three group-stage draws – holding European champions Spain 0-0 in their opening game – set up the monumental task of trying to cause one of the biggest upsets the World Cup has ever seen.

Against Argentina, they went behind to a Messi goal, but came back to level at 1-1 and take the game to extra time. Then they went behind again – before a stunning strike from Cabral levelled again. It was not to be though, with a cruel deflection off Diney Borges from Cristian Romero’s header seeing Argentina through.

But former England right-back Gary Neville told ITV it was “one of the greatest performances” he had ever seen from an underdog”.

“They are crying because they are going home,” he added. “They don’t want to go home. They want to be here for the rest of their lives.

“They want to be here forever. This is a moment that’s probably not going to come back for some of these players. It’s magical but also upsetting.”

One of the most-storied national teams – and the current world champions – face opponents who only first qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013.

Cape Verde was a colony of Portugal when Argentina took part in the first World Cup in 1930, finishing runners-up to Uruguay.

La Albiceleste have only failed to qualify for one World Cup, in Mexico in 1970, though withdrew from the three tournaments either side of World War Two.

Argentina’s first World Cup success came in 1978, beating the Netherlands 3-1. In 1986, a 3-2 victory over West Germany took the trophy back to South America.

A third World Cup trophy was secured in Qatar four years ago, with France beaten on penalties after a 3-3 draw.

Argentina have enjoyed extensive continental success, too, winning the Copa America a record 16 times – including the past two tournaments.

They have not been out of the top three of the Fifa world ranking since March 2022, and spent two years in the number one spot before being dethroned by France last year.

The Cape Verdean Football Federation was only formed in 1982, and accepted as a Fifa member in 1986 – just as Argentina were winning the World Cup for a second time.

The Blue Sharks first entered World Cup qualifying in 2002 but did not have a realistic chance of qualifying until 2022.

Four years ago they only just lost out to Nigeria, drawing the final group game 1-1 in Lagos when a win would have sent them to Qatar.

For the 2026 finals, despite being drawn in a group with eight-time qualifiers Cameroon, Cape Verde finished top with one defeat in 10 matches.

Such has been their recent development they only played at their first Africa Cup of Nations 13 years ago, reaching the quarter-finals before losing to Ghana.

They have now played at the Afcon four times, reaching the last eight again in 2023.

But they failed to reach the 2025 Afcon, despite qualifying for the World Cup.

Cape Verde broke in the Fifa top 100 in 2006, and climbed to 36th on the back of the first Afcon outing. In 2014, after qualifying for the 2015 tournament, they achieved their highest-ever ranking of 27th.

For the last nine years, Cape Verde have hovered around the 60-80 bracket, and will go into Friday’s game ranked 64th.

Miami, United States – Singing to the beat of the drum, jumping and dancing with joyful abandon, sporting their famous light blue and white shirts, and waving large flags bearing images of their heroes, Argentinian football fans have announced their team’s arrival in Miami in grand fashion.

A day before Argentina’s first knockout match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 – and their first fixture in the Sunshine State – the portion of Miami Beach known as Little Buenos Aires came to life as close to a thousand revellers geared up for Lionel Messi’s “homecoming” on Friday.

The defending champions and one of the pre-tournament favourites will take on the fairytale team of the World Cup – the small African island nation of Cape Verde.

The match at Miami Stadium will pit a team supported by one of the largest travelling fan bases of the tournament against an outfit that may not have strong backing in the stands but has endeared itself to the neutrals with its heroic performances.

Among Argentinian supporters, though, there’s no room for sympathy for the team punching above its weight.

For Adrian Elizondo, the logic is simple: “Messi deserves to win another World Cup.”

“It’s Messi’s last World Cup and since he’s the greatest player of all time, he deserves to walk away with another trophy,” Elizondo told Al Jazeera.

Elizondo believes there’s more to Argentina’s success than Messi.

“We have good players, a great coach and tens of thousands of people supporting the team. We make a big difference.”

A quick glance at the party-like atmosphere in Miami Beach reinforced Elizondo’s claim.

Miami, where Messi has been playing his club football since 2023, is home to at least 30,000 Argentinians, according to local census data.

Add to this mix another 20,000 fans following the team on their quest to defend the title in the United States and it becomes evident that Miami is “Messi Country”.

The crowd in North Beach, which is home to several decades-old Argentinian restaurants and cafes, started building more than 24 hours before kickoff and showed no sign of letting up as the evening went on.

Fans, from toddlers to supporters in their 70s, were seen walking towards the central area in Little Buenos Aires.

A small pocket of enthusiasts would begin singing “Muchachos” – the famous Argentinian football anthem – and hundreds of others would soon join in.

While the lyrics speak to the heartbreak of lost World Cup finals and past heroes, the mood among fans was festive, especially as Messi and Co broke a 36-year title drought four years ago in Qatar and emulated his hero Diego Maradona in leading them to a World Cup trophy.

For Argentina fans, Maradona and Messi are commonly considered the master and the protege. It’s part of their footballing folklore which is reinforced at every opportunity.

In Miami, as men, women and children danced on the streets, a group of supporters dressed in the shirts of Argentinian football club Newell’s Old Boys proudly stood in front of a banner connecting the two national heroes with the club.

Jorge Martinelli travelled to Miami from Rosario, the club’s base, with his friends and proudly shared some facts about his hometown.

“Messi was born in Rosario and played in Newell’s youth teams before joining Barcelona, while Maradona came to the club in 1993,” he tells Al Jazeera.

Is there any other connection between the two iconic captains? Martinelli said: “Yes, it’s a cosmic connection.

“Many here believe Maradona is guiding the team from the heavens above,” he quipped.

Amid Martinelli’s explanation of the spiritual connection between the two, fans let off crackers to celebrate Miami’s favourite footballing son’s return to his adopted home.

The Rosario resident said he does not want to contemplate a future after Messi retires from international football.

“It will create a big hole in the national team, the same as what happened after Maradona,” he said.

For now, though, he believes Messi is the favourite to do what even the great Maradona couldn’t achieve: successfully defend the title.

“He [Messi] is here. He’s playing. Maradona is watching.”