Cape Verde have joined Nigeria's Super Eagles as the only African nations to score more than one goal against Argentina at the FIFA World Cup, following their thrilling 3-2 extra-time defeat to the defending champions in the Round of 32 of the 2026 tournament in Miami.
Making their World Cup debut, the Blue Sharks produced a spirited display against Lionel Messi's side, twice coming from behind before eventually bowing out. In the process, Cape Verde also became the first African nation to score more than once against a reigning world champion at the tournament.
Argentina took the lead through Messi before Deroy Duarte equalised in the 59th minute to force the contest into extra time. Lisandro MartÃnez restored Argentina's advantage early in the additional period, but Sidny Lopes Cabral curled home another equaliser in the 103rd minute to keep Cape Verde's dream alive.
However, the debutants' resistance was finally broken in the 111th minute when Cristian Romero's header took a decisive deflection off defender Diney Borges before finding the net, sending Argentina through to the last 16.
Cape Verde's two-goal haul means they become only the second African nation to score at least twice against Argentina at the World Cup, matching a feat first achieved by Nigeria at the 2014 finals in Brazil.
The Super Eagles etched their name into the history books during their final Group F match against Argentina at the Estádio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre on June 25, 2014. Ahmed Musa scored twice in a pulsating 3-2 defeat, becoming the first Nigerian to net a World Cup brace.
Although Nigeria lost the match, the result was enough to secure qualification for the knockout stage for the first time since the 1998 World Cup, cementing one of the country's most memorable performances against the South American giants.
