Argentina secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Cape Verde Islands in their Round of 32 (R32) match in the FIFA World Cup 2026. Lionel Messi scored the opener in the 15th minute, but Cape Verde fought back through Jhon Goncalves' 65th-minute equalizer and then took the lead through a stunning free-kick from Djeandro dos Santos in the 74th minute. However, Julian Alvarez's late equalizer in the 88th minute was followed by Messi's dramatic winner in stoppage time, sending Argentina through to the next round.