Argentina
Lionel Messi, who has not ruled out potentially even featuring at FIFA World Cup 2030, has scored six of Argentina’s eight FIFA World Cup goals this summer with three wins from three seeing the defending champions win Group J with ease ahead of Austria, Algeria and Jordan.
In their opening game, Argentina won 3-0 with Messi scoring a hat-trick before the captain then scored a brace, having missed a penalty, in a 2-0 of Austria and then he came off the bench to score quite a tame free-kick in a 3-1 victory over Jordan after a free-kick from Giovani Lo Celso and a penalty scored by Lautaro Martinez.
Injuries & Team News
Having started the success over Jordan on the bench, Messi and Alexis Mac Allister should return to the XI, while Rodrigo De Paul, who was rested, is likely to play from the off.
Messi has scored six of Argentina’s eight goals in North America, accounting for 75% of the defending champions’ strikes as they continue their journey to retain their crown.
Still, other players in the group must step up if Scaloni’s team are to be successful, something 38-goal Lautaro Martinez, 14-goal Julian Alvarez and box-crashing Enzo Fernandez hope to do in the decisive stages of the Mundial.
Although Cristian Romero looked to have injured his knee in the win over Austria, the old-school centre-back is reportedly fine and should return to the team at Nicolas Otamendi’s expense.
Form
| Last Match | Last 6 Matches |
|---|---|
| 3-1 vs Jordan | W W W W W W |
Predicted Line-Up
Argentina possible starting lineup:
E. Martinez; Molina, Romero, Lisandro M., Medina; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernandez, Almada; Messi, Lautaro M.
Cape Verde
Having qualified ahead of African giants Cameroon in the CAF qualifying group stages of FIFA World Cup 2026, the Cabo Verdeans have produced a major surprise to become the smallest country to ever reach the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup.
Cabo Verde began their group stage campaign in Group H with a famous goalless draw against Spain in Atlanta. That was followed up by a fun and entertaining 2-2 draw with two-time world champions Uruguay before then sharing another goalless draw, this time against Saudi Arabia, to finish as runners-up behind the Spanish in Group H.
Injuries & Team News
The Blue Sharks faced a scare ahead of their final group fixture after Telmo Arcanjo, Jamiro Monteiro and Kevin Lenini all seemed to suffer injuries; however, only Arcanjo’s muscle issue has kept the midfielder out since, with the other two featuring.
While Dailon Rocha Livramento scored four of the team’s 16 goals in qualifying, the forward has yet to open his account on the global stage.
Nonetheless, Livramento’s overall tally of six goals for the national team pales in comparison to Ryan Mendes’s 22 and sits three shy of Garry Rodrigues’s 10.
Form
| Last Match | Last 6 Matches |
|---|---|
| 0-0 vs Saudi Arabia | WW W D D D |
Predicted Line-Up
Cape Verde possible starting lineup:
Vozinha; Moreira, Pico, Diney, S. Cabral; Lenini; Mendes, Duarte, Monteiro, J. Cabral; Livramento
Betting Odds
| Team | Odds | Bookmaker |
|---|---|---|
| Argentina Win | 1/5 – (1.20) | Grand Ivy |
| Draw | 7/1 – (8.00) | Dream Vegas |
| Cape Verde Win | 20/1 – (21.00) | 247Bet |
Prediction
Argentina 3-0 Cape Verde
Argentina have been impressive in this world cup and even with mass changes they were far too good for Jordan. With a full squad they will bring an end to a brilliant world cup for Cape Verde.