Messi Laughs Off Cape Verde’s Physical Approach as Argentina Reach World Cup Last 16

Argentina captain Lionel Messi was in high spirits after leading his country to a dramatic 3-2 victory over Cape Verde, joking about the tough treatment he received from his opponents during the FIFA World Cup clash.

The fiercely contested encounter saw Argentina battle past a determined Cape Verde side to book a place in the Round of 16. Despite the intensity on the pitch, the atmosphere turned friendly after the final whistle as several Cape Verde players approached Messi for his jersey and photographs.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner smiled as he reflected on the contrast between the physical battle during the game and the admiration shown afterward.

“They asked for my jersey and everything. On the field, they kick the crap out of me,” Messi joked in comments reported by TyC Sports.

Messi also praised Argentina’s effectiveness from set-pieces, noting that dead-ball situations proved decisive in securing the important victory.

“This team has shown for a long time that it knows how to compete and will keep fighting until the end,” he said. “Today, we saw how important set-pieces are. We hadn’t been converting them well recently, but in games like this they make a huge difference. We have players who are strong in the air, and we’ve been working hard on both attacking and defending set-pieces.”

Despite advancing to the knockout stage, Messi admitted Argentina did not perform at their best. He explained that his side unexpectedly lost control of the match after taking the lead instead of building momentum.

“We knew it was going to be a very difficult game,” Messi said. “There’s a reason this team hadn’t lost to Spain and Uruguay. We did the hardest part by scoring first, but instead of finding our rhythm, the opposite happened. We lost possession, dropped too deep, and couldn’t press the way we wanted.”

Cape Verde earned widespread praise for their spirited display and pushed the defending champions until the final whistle, but Argentina’s experience and clinical finishing ultimately proved enough to secure qualification for the Round of 16.

With the knockout stage now in sight, Messi and his teammates will be aiming to improve their overall performance as they continue their quest to retain the World Cup title.